Cyclone Pam Vanuatu Repairs - Mbossung Primary School - Rotary Birkenhead

$1,455 of $85,000 goal

Given by 20 generous donors in over a year

Please help us finish the repairs to the extensively damaged Mbossung Primary School in Vanuatu, devastated by Cyclone Pam in March 2015.

Auckland

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Rotary Birkenhead is leading the ongoing repairs to this extensively damaged primary school in Vanuatu, which has classrooms and school buildings totally wrecked and others that needs major repair.

In November 2015 we completed the rebuilding of the main classroom block as Stage 1 of this project, with $698 of the total raised through givealittle. THANKS!

Stage 2 is focusing on sorting out the other school buildings, as well as making important improvements to sanitation. Lots of kids come to school here from other parts of Ambryn Island, so in April-May 2016 we'll be working on the two dormitory buildings which are used for their week night accommodation, as well as buildings for the teachers and other school facilities.

IMPORTANT: As we have not created a new givealittle page for Stage 2, the total shown as donated so far includes $698 which has already gone towards Stage 1.

Once the funding is in place, the club will project manage the repair project in conjunction with Rotary Santo.

Tell others to come and donate at this Givealittle page, which can be accessed via the easy-to-remember internet shortcut… bit.do/vanuatu

Donations are made to "Rotary Club of Birkenhead Charitable Trust", Registered Number CC44007.

Rotary Birkenhead's involvement (page creator)

Rotary Birkenhead is working in partnership with Rotary Santo in Vanuatu to raise the required money and donate the required construction time and expertise to make the repairs to this village school.

In Rotary Birkenhead we strongly believe that our shared passion for service allows us to accomplish the remarkable.

We've done remarkable things before, and we'll do them again!

About us

The Rotary Club of Birkenhead was founded in 1957 and has an ongoing proud history in serving our community, nation and region and contributing to global Rotary initiatives.

We focus our efforts in six areas:

- promoting peace

- preventing diseases

- providing access to clean water and sanitation,

- enhancing maternal and child health

- improving basic education and literacy

- helping communities develop

Donations are accepted for Rotary Club Of Birkenhead Charitable Trust, Registered Charity number: CC 44007.

Stage 2 Completed 20 May 2016

During April and early May 2016, nineteen volunteers from Rotary Clubs all around New Zealand, two from Australia, one from California and dozens of local helpers worked on further buildings at Mbossung Centre School in Ulei village, Ambrym Island, Vanuatu.

The achievements of these workers is impressive:

- Boys' Dormitory – rebuilt.

- Girls' Dormitory – rebuilt.

- Office and Library - rebuilt as the Headmaster's office and adjoining computer room.

- Teachers' Accommodation - rebuilt as a second Boys' Dormitory.

- Headmaster's House - repaired, strengthened and re-clad.

The two original dormitory buildings kept their original concrete walls, but have been re-roofed plus new joinery, windows and doors have been fitted.

The framework of the office/library building was retained, but the building was re-roofed, strengthened and reclad. Computers donated through Rotary Australia have been installed there as well.

For the former Teachers’ Accommodation building, only the original concrete foundation slab was retained, everything else was replaced.

The Headmaster's House had a fairly good roof, but a badly sagging veranda with rotten wood. The ceilings had collapsed in Cyclone Pam, and the walls were in a very poor state as well. The roof was realigned and the ridge was replaced, as were the veranda supports. The whole building was strengthened, and the iron sheets attached more securely. External walls were reclad and new windows and framing fitted. The ceilings were replaced and some rotten pieces of framing replaced as well.

Most existing communal taps in the village were replaced and additional taps were located, connected and made operational.

Equally important as the building work undertaken was the social, educational and cultural interchange which took place between the volunteers and local folk. As work progressed over five weeks the level of local input increased significantly, with new skills learnt on one building applied to the next.

There is still more work that can and hopefully will be done in Ulei. There are additional school buildings which have been assessed but not yet worked on, and various infrastructural improvements have been identified to allow the school’s newly-donated IT equipment to be fully used. Discussions are ongoing regarding sanitation and water supply improvements.

This Give-A-Little page will remain open for late donations towards the material costs incurred so far and to contribute towards future aid work undertaken there.

Thank you for your support.

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