Mohammad Nadim, his wife, Eileen, and their two children are just some of the tens of thousands of people who were affected when Cyclone Winston tore across the South Pacific on February 20 and 21. The storm caused extreme damage on the more than 300 islands that make up the archipelago nation of Fiji. World Renew is responding through its membership in the Integral Alliance.

Latest official reports indicate that 40,000 people have been affected by this disaster.

While Cyclone Winston made landfall last Saturday, the full extent of the humanitarian needs are only now becoming clear. The storm brought with it wind gusts of up to 325 kilometers per hour and waves that were 12 meters high.

Many of Fiji’s residents live in remote and rural villages on islands that are spread out from each other. The storm destroyed homes, damaged schools and wiped out essential infrastructure for communication. As a result, it has been difficult to truly assess the damages.

The latest official reports indicate that 40,000 people have been affected by this disaster. A week after the storm, they remain in urgent need of fresh water, shelter, and food. There will also be long-term needs to rebuild schools and revive businesses.

“While World Renew does not have a presence in Fiji, we are blessed to be part of an alliance of 23 Christian relief and development agencies called Integral. Through this partnership, we have been able to support the people of Fiji almost immediately by sending funds to Integral members on the ground who are well positioned to respond,” said Ken Kim, World Renew’s Director of Disaster Response and Rehabilitation.

In order to provide this support, World Renew tapped into its “Rapid Response Fund” — a fund designed to enable World Renew to respond quickly to disasters, even those that aren’t highlighted in the mainstream media.

“We are so blessed to have tools like the Integral Alliance and the Rapid Response fund at our disposal for emergencies like Cyclone Winston,” said Kim. “God has called us to love and care for His children all over the world, regardless of how much the international media talks about them. By tapping into our available resources, World Renew has been able to partner with like-minded Christians to provide tangible expressions of God’s love to people who most-needed to receive it. Thank you for your prayers and ongoing support.”