BACK TO NIAS FOR 50TON ROTARY DISTRIBUTION

After weeks of delays due to ferry breakdowns and truck congestion in Sibolga, IOM have finally sent our convoy on its way this morning. Tonight ELM and UV volunteers are aboard a tour bus heading out of Padang as a thunderstorm soaks the city. The plan is to meet the IOM convoy in Sibolga tomorrow and to cross the next evening to Gunuhg Sitoli on the car ferry. The first convoy is carrying 25tons of family boxes each weighing 25kg. The boxes contain enough pots, pans, plates and kitchen supplies for large family as well as clothes and water purification pills.

A second covoy will arrive in Gomo on Saturday with an additional 25tons and the ELM UV teams will work with Dr Fasa (Laia) to distribute in the hardest hit villages. Marion van Dreijden has worked tirelessly over the past month to make sure that ELM managed this major distribution and she will fly from Meulaboh to Gunung Sitoli on the 9th to join our team on the ground.

For ELM, this is the largest distribution we have attempted overland. The lesson we have learned is that the road and ferry system to Nias is overloaded and failing under the strain. We could have delivered this urgently needed aid 4 weeks ago with the right ship and the rest of our team are working round the clock to secure a replacement for Batavia.