Preparations for disaster and a quick initial response by local government officials and non-governmental organizations saved many lives after Cyclone Sidr struck the southern coastal areas of Ban
Vanuatu is a lush archipelago of more than 80 scattered volcanic islands. Its 246,000 people, the Ni-Vanuatu, have been spared the civil and political unrest that has affected neighboring Melanesian nations but its economy is failing to meet the needs of an increasing and young population.
Timor-Leste (East Timor) is the newest country in Asia. A small nation with a young population, this country’s future could be bright – if the challenges of inequality, rural poverty and vulnerability to climate change can be overcome.
