From crisis to recovery: How CERF helped communities in Vanuatu

Anna at her home with an allamanda flower.
Anna at her home with an allamanda flower. Flowers are deeply integrated into the daily lives and traditions of people in the Pacific. Photo: OCHA/Sara Manni

By Jennifer Moreno

“I was in town when the ground started shaking violently,” recalled Sonia, a resident of Mamau, a small eastern community in Vanuatu’s capital, Port Vila. “All I could think about was my children at home. I felt helpless and terrified.” 

Sonia’s words capture the fear that gripped the community when a powerful 7.3-magnitude earthquake struck on 17 December 2024. It claimed 14 lives, injured more than 200 people, temporarily displaced over 1,000 and disrupted the lives of 80,000 others. 

For residents in the area, resilience is more than a trait – it’s a way of life. 

Sonia’s neighbour, Anna, had built a life of stability and service over the past 15 years. She and her husband, a local church leader, raised their family while supporting the community through schools, church activities and gatherings. But the earthquake damaged Anna’s home, which had withstood years of tropical cyclones. Cracks in the floor and a broken rainwater collection system – a vital resource in a water-scarce community – left her family vulnerable. Amid this devastation, Anna and her neighbours faced the daunting challenge of rebuilding their lives and securing basic necessities, such as water, shelter and sanitation.

Anna shows OCHA staff members how the earthquake affected her home.
Anna shows OCHA staff members how the earthquake affected her home. Photo: OCHA/Sara Manni

CERF’s swift and effective response

The day after the earthquake, OCHA allocated US$1 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF). This enabled UN agencies, in partnership with national authorities and humanitarian organizations, to launch life-saving interventions that focused on water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), health services, protection and shelter. These efforts targeted 8,300 vulnerable people, including women, children and people with disabilities.

Implementing partners UNICEF, the UN Population Fund and the International Organization for Migration worked closely with local authorities and communities. This rapid mobilization ensured the most vulnerable people received essential aid in record time.

In Mamau, CERF funding supported UNICEF’s WASH programme, in collaboration with the Department of Water Resources. The programme provided residents with clean drinking water, repaired water supply systems, constructed water tank bases and restored rainwater gutters. For families like Anna’s, these interventions were crucial for maintaining basic hygiene and health.

A community’s perspective

“As a community, we are grateful for the support we received after the earthquake,” said Anna. “The damage has shown us that we still have much to learn, and that we must stay vigilant and work together to safeguard ourselves from future events.”

Thanks to CERF funding, families like Sonia’s and Anna’s regained clean drinking water through water trucking services, which have become a critical resource for their recovery.

Sonia and other community members collect clean drinking water through water trucking.
Sonia and other community members collect clean drinking water through water trucking. This water point is part of a CERF-supported UNICEF project providing life-saving assistance to Vanuatu families. Photo: OCHA/Jennifer Moreno

The path to recovery

The immediate humanitarian assistance addressed critical needs, but significant challenges remain for communities in Vanuatu. The lack of a reliable water source underscores the need for sustained international collaboration to support long-term recovery efforts.

In times of crisis, CERF acts swiftly and decisively. The Vanuatu earthquake response is a powerful example of how timely humanitarian aid transforms lives and helps communities rebuild, even in the face of immense challenges.