On January 15th 5:10 pm Tongan local time, Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai, an undersea volcano erupted in a blast 600 times more powerful than the bomb dropped on Hiroshima. It prompted an explosion of ash reaching 30km into the sky and a deadly tsunami. The devastation and destruction of property in Tonga has been truly apocalyptic.
Like many Tongans living in the UK, I have family and friends back home who have been adversely affected by this catastrophe. This fundraising page is for the immediate relief effort on the ground in Tonga, but also to support ongoing community-based projects in Tonga: Mordi Tonga Trust, a registered NGO in Tonga whose purpose is to empower isolated rural communities to fight against poverty through sustainable living and Youth in Union a registered charity who work alongside Tonga Rugby Union to distribute coaching and equipment resources to remote and hard to reach areas of Tonga. With the support of the Tongan High Commission, Tonga Rugby Union and other UK-based Tongans fundraising events will be happening in London and around the UK in the coming months. Thank you in advance to everyone donating and volunteering for their commitment and generosity of spirit.
Honesty and transparency are crucial for this fundraising. I’ve put in place steps to safeguard myself and the benefactors of this money to ensure that all transactions are accounted for and can be traced.
Regular updates will be given on fundraising events, money raised and further down the line how the money is being used in Tonga.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask.
MÄlÅ 'aupito
Thank you
Paul Koloi
paul.koloi@mac.com
+447812 157 555
