EU assures to provide humanitarian funding to vulnerable communities of Saint Lucia

Saint Lucia: The European Union has assured that it will assist the people and government of Saint Lucia by providing €60,000 in humanitarian funding. The assistance will be offered in response to the recent wave of intense floods that severely damaged the communities living in the north of the nation.

According to the update shared by the European Commission, humanitarian funding will be provided to the Saint Lucia Red Cross Society, which will further provide assistance to the people. It is planned that society will provide basic necessary items such as mattresses, blankets, hygiene and cleaning kits and mosquito nets which will reduce the risk of vector-borne diseases.

The announcement was made by the Ambassador of the European Union – Malgorzata Wasilewska. He expressed sorrow and regret the damage and devastation witnessed by Saint Lucia. He stated that the flash flooding had disturbed the whole community. Wasilewska, furthermore, hoped that the contribution by the EU would help the Red Cross Disaster Fund in helping the Saint Lucians to get back on their feet as soon as possible.

As per the latest update, the intervention will be for four months and the objective of providing immediate support to around 1,000 people who have lost their houses due to heavy rainfall, which resulted in flash flooding.

Around 150 families will be identified by the Saint Lucia Red Cross. The identification will be made after surveying the households with single mothers, children under five years, elders, pregnant women, and people with disabilities or chronic diseases. It also assured to provide cash assistance to vulnerable families so that they can purchase the most urgently needed items.

This contribution will be made by the EU under the contribution to the International Federation of Red Cross’ Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF) as well as Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).