Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

NZ volunteers help repair cyclone damage in Samoa

Posted at 03:32 on 22 January, 2013 UTC

A group of five plumbing graduates from New Zealand is preparing to fly to Samoa to help repair damage caused by Cyclone Evan.

The graduates, from the Wellington Institute of Technology, will spend a month doing voluntary service for the Samoan Water Authority repairing damaged infrastructure.

The Chief Executive of Weltec, Linda Sissons, says the graduates are being supported by the New Zealand government, as well as Samoan churches in Wellington.

She says she is hopeful that New Zealand graduates will be able to learn skills while helping Pacific communities in the future.

“I just think we had a tremendous coming together of goodwill and willingness to work together so, my belief is that this is a new dimension for New Zealand aid to Pacific nations.”

The Chief Executive of the Wellington Institute of Technology, Linda Sissons.