Feature - Merry Maldives Christmas
Source: British Red Cross Society - UK
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While most of us are tucking into Christmas turkey, the British Red Cross team working on the tsunami recovery programme in the Maldives will be pulling crackers over their
Christmas...tuna.This is the second year Jill Clements, head of mission, has spent working in the Maldives."As it is a Muslim country, Christmas is not a national holiday," she said. "People
here are gearing up for the Eid ul-Alha festival at the end of the month. However, we are hoping a lot of the aid workers will come together on the 25th and share Christmas dinner."Boxing Day
will mark the second anniversary of the tsunami, which claimed more than 226,000 lives in 2004.Unity"It is obviously a day of mourning for those who passed away," Jill said. "It
is known as unity day in the Maldives because it stood out as a time when everyone came together to help one another."The staff working over the Christmas period are focusing on the recovery
programme for Vilufushi island in Thaa Atoll where the British Red Cross is building 250 houses and a community sanitation system. "We have the sensitive task of working with the community to
identify who will receive the houses and that process will continue into the new year," she said.ChallengesPeople have begun moving into some of the new houses, which the
British Red Cross has constructed on one of the other six islands it is working on.We are handing over four houses a day to the community.Jill Clements, British Red Cross"We
are handing over a total of 54 houses on Madifushi island. We began last week and are handing over four houses a day to the community. The construction programme has been our biggest challenge so we
are very pleased to see people moving into their new homes," she said.The British Red Cross is also supporting the displaced community through cash grants to restore their livelihoods.
Contrary to popular opinion, the Maldives is not always a "paradise" to work in, as Jill testifies."It is a difficult sea-based environment - purchasing and transporting
equipment, material and people is fraught with challenges because everything needs to be imported and delivered to small, relatively isolated islands," she said.WintryRecent weather conditions have not helped operations."It has been really wet for the last couple of months. A lot of the islands have experienced flooding and the rough seas have hampered the delivery of materials," she said.The wintry scene of grey skies reminds her of home at this time of year. Born in Belfast, Jill has lived most of her life in Canada and England."We managed to find a very cute, spindly little tree and some sparkly lights so my two-year-old daughter can enjoy a real Christmas tree."
equipment, material and people is fraught with challenges because everything needs to be imported and delivered to small, relatively isolated islands," she said.WintryRecent weather conditions have not helped operations."It has been really wet for the last couple of months. A lot of the islands have experienced flooding and the rough seas have hampered the delivery of materials," she said.The wintry scene of grey skies reminds her of home at this time of year. Born in Belfast, Jill has lived most of her life in Canada and England."We managed to find a very cute, spindly little tree and some sparkly lights so my two-year-old daughter can enjoy a real Christmas tree."
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