Support to Wujal Wujal in Aftermath of Tropical Cyclone Jasper

ADRA’s initial response, coordinated in partnership with seven Seventh-day Adventist churches:

Activated 40 volunteers
Reached over 1,105 people/households
Distributed $30,000 in cash grants
Provided 1,000 food hampers
Helped with three mud army clean ups
Hosted a community BBQ
Opened Mareeba Church for the community to shelter

In the case of Wujal Wujal, the whole community was evacuated and displaced for months. To provide an appropriate response, ADRA worked with the local community to identify support that suited the community’s context. Together with ADRA Community Centre Logan, hampers were packed and transported to Wujal Wujal in December 2024.

“The unexpected ‘village of helpers’ that met the ADRA truck as it drove into the beautiful community of Wujal Wujal was nothing short of awe inspiring!” said Naomi Vaotuua, ADRA Australia Emergency Management Program Officer.

The ‘village of helpers’

Mayor Alister Gibson, Deputy Mayor Claudia Doughboy, Councillor Nikita Tayley, Cultural Advisor Uncle Bill and Community Services Manager Kesa Strieby honoured the ADRA truck with their welcome and proceeded to coordinate the help of the Jabalbina Rangers with three utes to deliver the hampers door-to-door. All but four vehicles in the community were lost in the flooding so door-to-door delivery was essential.

In less than half a day, 255 people received ADRA hampers, a task enabled by the intimate knowledge of the families of their community by mayoral level community leadership.

Please continue to pray for Far North Queensland as they enter into the wet season Pray for those still triggered by the rain as they approach the one year mark after Tropical Cyclone Jasper.

Special thanks to Chris Kirkwood for his service to the communities of NQLD and NT as he finishes up his role of Northern Australian Conference ADRA Director