8 Oxfam Australia

WE WERE TERRIFIED
Kopse, Papua New Guinea: Esther Tamang and her family with the hygiene kits they received from Oxfam following flooding in their region. Photo: Caroline Thomas/OxfamAUS.
Sepik INDONESIA

A slow-onset flood in Papua New Guineas north has left families along the Sepik river struggling to keep safe and dry. As the flood recedes, waterborne diseases are the new threat, as journalist Caroline Thomas reports.
When the water rose, my main concern was for our children, explains Esther Tamang. The water washed away many of our belongings cooking things and our clothes. But we grabbed our children, rushed to the canoe at the back of the house, and paddled to higher ground. We were terrified. For Esther, her husband Albert, and their three children, this years rainy season has been the worst they have ever seen. Living on the banks of the Sepik river, in northern Papua New Guinea, they are used to seeing the annual rise of the river when the rains come. However this year the water didnt just rise by one or two metres and then recede as normal. Instead, the rains continued to fall and the river moved closer and closer to their stilt house. By April, the river had risen by six metres and had already flooded their house twice each time, they had to build a new floor higher up the stilts, away from the surging river. But still the water continued to rise. One night, there was a storm, explains Esther. The wind caused waves to move across the river, towards our house. We knew the house would be flooded again. Esther and Albert were able to get their three young children in a canoe and move to safety, returning to their sodden house after the storm had passed. We had managed to save some bedding, but everything else was lost, says Esther. Not only that, the floodwater had completely destroyed the familys fruit trees, which were a crucial source of food and income. The ground is now water-soaked, so the family must wait for the ground to dry completely before they can replant their crops. For now, we have to live just on the fish we can catch, and if we have spare we can sell them at the market, says Esther. Outside of the familys home, the muddy ground is covered in puddles that could

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

TORRES STRAIT ISLANDS

AUSTRALIA

easily become breeding grounds for mosquitoes, putting the family at risk of malaria. Thats where Oxfam has stepped in, providing essential hygiene kids to nearly 2,000 families living along the banks of the Sepik. As the floodwaters recede, the life-saving kit will help reduce malaria and the spread of deadly waterborne diseases like cholera. A mosquito net will provide crucial protection while sleeping, and a bucket with lid will mean families can store clean water for drinking. A tarpaulin will provide shelter but can also be used to help collect rainwater for drinking. And soap will be used both for hand washing and for keeping clothes clean. This response by Oxfam is particularly needed by Esther, who is four months pregnant. The rising floodwater was a difficult time for us but we now know this stagnant water will also put our family at risk, she says. We are very grateful to Oxfam for helping us to stay healthy.

Learn

See our emergency work in action by visiting Carolines photo gallery: www.oxfam.org.au/sepik