“I was in a community shelter with my parents. When the strong wind came it was very noisy, I was afraid. Then my sisters and I fell asleep. Next morning we came to our house and it was destroyed. My school was destroyed too. Now I sleep with my parents in the tent and can’t attend classes,” says 10-year-old James from Efate Island.

James and his family are among the tens of thousands of people left homeless in Vanuatu after Cyclone Pam devastated the small Pacific island nation. The family of five are currently living under a makeshift emergency relief tent.

James’ mother Margaret says she is worried about feeding her children and generating an income after the family`s crops were wiped out by the category five cyclone. “We’ve lost everything; all our crops. All we can eat now is fallen bananas and coconuts. Some taro survived too, but it’s not enough for our family. I will not be able to sell fruits and vegetables in the market to make some money. We barely have enough food for ourselves.”

Schools have officially reopened in Vanuatu but, with 50 per cent of the country`s education infrastructure destroyed or badly damaged, thousands of children remain unable to attend. At this stage, it is unclear when James will be able to start classes again, with his own primary school sustaining huge damage.

Access to clean water is also an immediate concern for families like James`. Most water tanks have been damaged or destroyed by the cyclone and wells contaminated. Some people are forced to walk long distances to fetch or purchase fresh water, while others are so desperate that they are boiling and drink seawater.

James and his sisters, 14-year-old Priscilla and three-year-old Ester, are at high risk of waterborne diseases, which cause severe diarrhoea and can lead to death. ChildFund Australia is working with Live & Learn Vanuatu to restore access to clean water to help ensure the health of children in cyclone-ravaged areas.

Sixty per cent of Vanuatu`s entire population has been affected by Cyclone Pam, one of the strongest cyclones ever to hit the South Pacific. Pam has destroyed thousands of homes, devastated crops and contaminated water supplies.

The category five cyclone, which hit the country on 13 March 2015, has affected 166,000 people, including 82,000 children across some 22 islands.

An estimated 15,000 homes have been damaged or destroyed, leaving 75,000 people in need of emergency shelter. The majority of those affected have now returned home from evacuation centres but most are living in temporary structures. Ten year-old James and his family (pictured above) from Efate Island are living under a makeshift tent.

Crops have been wiped out. With 80 per cent of the population relying on agriculture, many families are facing food shortages and have lost their source of income. Without access to nutritious foods, children under five are at risk of malnutrition and stunting.

Communication has been restored to much of the country and schools have officially reopened but with around half of all schools destroyed or damaged, many remain closed. Ten-year-old Sabrina, pictured above with her brother and cousins, is one of thousands of students still out of school.

110,000 people are in need of clean drinking water. ChildFund Australia`s partner in Vanuatu, Live & Learn, reports that access to water is one of the main concerns for children and their families. Most of their water tanks have been damaged or destroyed by the cyclone and wells have been contaminated. Many people, including women and children, are forced to walk in the sun, more than half an hour each way, to reach fresh water. Some are so desperate they have resorted to boiling and drinking seawater.