Individuals and organisations cannot raise or collect funds for Tropical Cyclone Yasa relief works unless certified by Fiji’s National Disaster Management Office.
This is to ensure well-intentioned donors are not exploited and that their funds are used as intended, the Ministry of Rural and Maritime Development said, after it received several reports of individuals soliciting payments under the guise of TC Yasa.
These reports are being investigated, the ministry said.
To become NDMO-certified, the NDMO said it has created a page for registration purpose, which can be accessed via www.ndmo.gov.fj under TC Yasa Relief. Forms are also available with the Divisional Commissioners Offices.
The ministry did not say how long the process would take, only saying that they are “committed to approving complete, verifiable applications as quickly as possible.”
Approved individuals or organisations will be provided a letter which they will need to display in any notices for fundraising and collection.
Organisations and groups which have already received donations may continue but are requested to liaise with either the NDMO or Divisional Commissioners to register the items they have collected and which communities they will distribute their donations to, otherwise, they are advised to donate their collections to an NDMO-certified organisation.
“It carries the additional benefit of ensuring that aid is not unnecessarily duplicated and the holistic needs of affected communities are met,” the ministry said in a statement. We can maximise the value of every dollar of assistance by ensuring it is well-coordinated and well-targeted to meet the many varying needs of Fijians who were in the path of the latest severe weather event. By doing so, we ensure that no community or village is marginalised or excluded in the relief response and that there is a reliable financial record of the tied of assistance given to those most affected by TC Yasa.
“We also don’t want a situation where one community has twice as much food as they need but have no clothing, while another community has doubled up on clothes and has nothing to eat. By coordinating our donations, we can ensure every donated dollar is used as efficiently as possible – and that every community gets the support they so badly need.”
Ministry of Rural and Maritime Development
