Former Brumby Lachlan McCaffrey has praised the widespread support from the Rugby community as he looks to continue his incredible work with Youth In Union to help aid the Tongan Tsunami recovery.
McCaffrey and former teammate Eddie Aholelei created the foundation whilst the pair played together at London Welsh in the UK in 2015, looking to give back to Tonga and ‘give them the same opportunities that we get in Australia and New Zealand as kids.’
Click here to donate to the Tonga Tsunami Emergency Fundraiser GoFundMe Page
With knowledge of the significant amount of leftover gear per season often going to waste, the pair used their extensive network to collect it and give it to people in need.
The former Brumby, Force and Waratah backrower has made the trip across to the country countless times to hand out gear in areas where they needed it the most whilst running coaching clinics alongside their army of volunteers.
However, the need for aid and help has been accelerated by the ongoing Tongan Tsunami disaster.
Reds prop Taniela Tupou gave an eye-opening account of the extent of the damage from across the islands, forced to wait a week until receiving the news that his family were safe.
"I was awake, every night just hoping for a phone call or something and finally got it, so I went to sleep in peace," he told reporters on Wednesday.
"My mum's village is fine, but my dad's island is gone, nothing there, but it could be worse."
With initiatives confirmed across Super Rugby Pacific in ‘Tries for Tonga’ and several clubs doing their individual events, McCaffrey and YIU were ramping up their efforts to ensure they can reach some of the areas where the full extent of the damage has yet to be determined.
“There’s some small islands in Tonga where they haven’t even got to the islands yet to visit. There’s little islands with like 500 people in them that no one even visited (the island)," he explained to Rugby.com.au.
"All the aid is going over the main island Tongatapu and if you are going to get aid, you need to find a way to get from your small island to the main island. The stuff we’re going to send over, we’re getting our guys on the island in boats etc. to take it out to the smaller island to people that have nothing and need urgent suppliers.
“The recovery process is going to take a long time (to recover). The border controls in Tonga are pretty strict and not many people can still get in so getting everything on the island is harder and going to cost a lot…I know me and Eddie (Aholelei) and all of our workers don’t take a cent from anything of the gear so all of it will go onto getting much-needed resources over to Tonga and those outer islands.
“90% of the aid comes and finishes on the main island and we’re trying to get as much out to outer islands as possible…these are people that get basically nothing so we think they are the ones who need it the most.”
McCaffrey has been blown away by the support by the Rugby community across the world, with the Wallabies already donating 40 boxes worth of gear to Youth In Union.
“The Rugby community is amazing, not just those boys with Pacific Islanders, but just Rugby people in general,” he said.
“Anyone that usually helps out around the world, whether it’s people I’ve played with in UK, Japan, USA, people are recognising Youth in Union is really growing and people are starting to see the work we doing and more people are asking how they can help.
“A lot of club rugby people are asking me how they can help, looking to see if they can donate boots or gear. I feel like I’m very supported not just from the board here at Youth in Union and the volunteers but the Rugby world in general and how many people are willing to help.”
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The donations have flooded in from across the Rugby community, with McCaffrey well aware of how far it will go to aiding a recovery that could take years whilst putting smiles on faces.
“You go over and kids don’t have boots, normally the pair of runners and boots that Youth in Union give are the first pair they’ve actually ever had," he added.
“The smile that you see on these kids faces when you give them a rugby ball or runners is amazing, it’s worthwhile when you see that smile. We went to some outer islands in 2019 when they had primary schools of about 250-300 kids and they didn’t have one Rugby ball, they used to throw around coconuts.
“It blew me away when I first went to Tonga, it’s not the tropical paradise that people that they sometimes think about, it’s a country with a lot of poverty and third-world resources so the more people that have done ok in Australia and New Zealand, they give back to their communities.
“I just feel like I’m in a position where I can make a difference and give back and try and give young boys and girls the same opportunities I had as a kid.”
Youth In Union are looking to send over vital supplies such as canned food, clothes, Bags, Shoes/slippers, Toys/books collars crayons, sanitary products for girls, school backpacks, towels, sleeping bags, wipes, water bottles to refill, dignity kits, sports gear and healthy snacks.
A go-fund-me page has also been set up in conjunction with Tonga Rugby Union and World Rugby, which has already raised close to $10,000.
