National Meteorological Service director Jotham Napat made the donation announcement just ahead of the kick-off between Amicale FC and Auckland City FC.
He says immediately after he headed into the stands with some volunteers and collected more than 300,000 Vatu from the generous crowd.
The money will be donated to aid families who have been affected by Tropical Cyclone Lusi which hit Santo in mid-March, and the torrential rain that flooded Honiara in early April.
Napat was surprised by the amount collected from football fans as he expected to take in much less.
“I was overwhelmed by the financial support. We raised a total of 333,000 Vatu and this came from football supporters,” he says.
He adds that it is encouraging to see what big hearts the fans have in Port Vila, and all around Vanuatu.
“Football is really the famous top sport in Vanuatu adn they too help people who suffer. I would like to convey my deepest gratitude to the Local Organising Committee that allowed us to go and do the fundraising inside.
“Football looks promising as a fundraiser towards disaster in the future and I hope we will continue to work together in this way,” he concludes.
The donation will be separated between the two recovering areas, with 200,000 Vatu earmarked for families in Santo, while the rest will be distributed in Solomon Islands.
Following the OFC Champions League Leg 2 Final between Auckland City FC and Amicale FC at Kiwitea Street on Sunday, the football fans of Vanuatu were awarded the competition’s Fair Play Award.
Over the two matches held in Vanuatu, the Leg 2 semi-final and the Leg 1 Final, the Vanuatu supporters demonstrated their amazing passion and love for football through their sporting behaviour towards their home team, as well as the visiting teams and their fans.
Their generosity towards two communities that have been hit hard by natural disasters is just further proof of what a deserving group the Vanuatu football fans truly are.
For more on Vanuatu football go to www.vanuafoot.vu

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