After Wednesday’s terrible tsunami which killed at least 150 people in Samoa, help is needed. The country needs helicopters to find bodies in the sea and needs people to identify those bodies. Help is needed to care for the injured. The survivors need houses, clothing, food and especially fresh water. Roads need to be re-built. Beaches and roads are covered with timber, roofs and household goods from buildings which were destroyed by the sea. Cars are lying upside down and badly damaged. Someone needs to clean up all this rubbish.

New Zealand has already sent medical help and clothing. A navy ship will go to Samoa this weekend, carrying building material and machines to make fresh water from salt water. The New Zealand government has promised $1 million immediately with more money to come in the future. The Prime Minister, John Key, will visit Samoa tomorrow.

Samoa is 3,000 km north of New Zealand. It is halfway between Hawai’i and New Zealand. We have a very close relationship with Samoa. In 1914, New Zealand governed Samoa but in 1962 it became independent and signed a Friendship Treaty with New Zealand. 180,000 people live in Western Samoa, mostly on the two main islands. Another 130,000 Samoans live in New Zealand because many have come to New Zealand to work in the last 50 years. We now have a special quota of 1,100 Samoan immigrants every year. 67% of the New Zealand Samoans live in Auckland. 60% of the New Zealand Samoans were born here.

The Samoans living in New Zealand have relatives in Samoa. They often send money back to the families in Samoa. This disaster is terrible for them. Many have lost family members. Now, they want to send money to help re-build Samoa. New Zealanders can give money through the Red Cross at givealittle.co.nz.