The day I almost died

Post traumatic memories and economic struggle make it 

hard to concentrate in school. © UNICEF Pacific/2014/Thakkar

Junior Miniti is a 14-year old boy living in Koahill, an area in Honiara city along the banks of the river Matanikau. Flash floods in early April 2014 obliterated his neighbourhood and claimed 18 out of the 22 lives lost that fateful day. His family chose to be in the evacuation centre for just a week. They went back to, what was left of their neighbourhood, started cleaning and rebuilding immediately. It took over a week’s hard work to just deal with fixing his home. It is now almost two months, and counting, cleaning up the neighbourhood. The signs of the devastation are still evident in the surroundings and the people. This is Junior’s story.

UNICEF Pacific donates tents and tarpaulins

By Atenia Tahu

UNICEF Pacific donated three 80m² tents and 20 tarpaulins to the Honiara City Council, for use by people who fled from floodwaters between 3-5 April. The tents are erected at the Festival of the Pacific Arts (FOPA) compound that is being used as an evacuation centre, and the tarpaulins are used on the roofs of leaf huts to prevent leaking when it rains. Around 350 people are currently sheltering there.

Honiara City Council volunteers assist in transporting UNICEF tents to the FOPA compound. © UNICEF Pacific/2014/ATahu