I went up to Santo on Thursday last week, after the devastation of Tropical Cyclone Harold, to see the BRED Bank Santo team and see how I could help.
We had already been shut for 3 days and needed to get our doors open.
I had been told the bank building had suffered water damage from a couple of holes in the roof punctured by some flying debris. The result was an inch high lake across the whole floor. I was expecting the worst.
Driving from the airport into town you saw enough of the devastation. The pictures on Facebook had not been lying. Santo was a disaster zone with buildings, trees and power lines down everywhere.
Walking into the bank from the devastation outside was surreal. It was not what I was expecting at all! The bank was already fully operational, ready for “business as usual”, with air-conditioning on, lights on, all IT systems working and fully staffed (with smiles and all)! A calming oasis from the disaster zone outside providing a sense of normality! Completely unexpected.
Over a couple of days, the Santo BRED Bank team had worked tirelessly to clean up the bank to be able to open, despite their own personal difficulties and property damage.
Thank you to the awesome Santo BRED Bank team. I hope you are truly proud of your efforts. You have given a lot of people access to much needed funds to eat, to rebuild their lives and parents a chance to still have an Easter with their children.
You did it with a smile – a true tribute to the Ni-Vanuatu resilience of getting on with things!
Simply amazing and something for all to be proud of.
I was not needed. What a great feeling!