Bishop Theophile Botomazava, of the Diocese of Antsiranana in Madagascar, has visited several parishes badly affected by cyclone Enawo. The cyclone made landfall in the north-east of the island last month. About 10,000 people were forced to leave their homes because of the damage. Bishop Theophile has appealed for outside assistance: "The parishes of Sambava and Antalaha are seriously affected, with 80% destruction. The poor are completely stricken, no house, no food, no rice, the harvest completely devastated; almost all the churches destroyed."

Bishop Theophile asked for help" to offer encouragement to these poor people." The Primate of the Church of the Province of the Indian Ocean, Archbishop Ian Ernest added : "The situation needs urgent attention and again it shows we need, as a church, to see how we can really bring about a sustainable type of development.  We have got a development department in our Church and it is really looking at the different challenges that we face - and for us in Madagascar, it's cyclones. We have to help our churches to spell out plans of action to help prevent such widespread damage." 

The UK based Province of the Indian Ocean Support Association (PIOSA) will pass on donations, via its Treasurer,  Mrs Margaret Willmott : [email protected]