Survival Shelter Earthships For Vanuatu

$350 of $2,000 goal

Given by 7 generous donors in 26 days

Sponsor the building of a low cost, sustainable and wind resistant survival shelter for Ni Vanuatu to build in their communities

Bay of Plenty

Following the devastation of Cyclone Pam in Vanuatu, charitable trust, Fruit of the Pacific demonstrated a low cost, sustainable and wind resistant survival shelter for over 50 Ni Vanuatu RSE’s to consider building in their communities.

Videos on the build can be watched here:

Survival Shelter build - http://www.3news.co.nz/tvshows/story/earthships-help-vanuatu-cyclone-victims-2015090119#axzz3kWGIotL7

Extended interviews - http://www.3news.co.nz/tvshows/story/why-are-earthships-so-important-2015090119#axzz3kSVEMpJn

After completing the build, we have de-briefed and evaluated this project and at least 4 communities have expressed an interest in building one at home. They see it’s potential as a multi-use building for their communities with uses such as:

- a community meeting house (as most of these still sit in a state of dis-repair),

- an interim kindy (90% were destroyed on Tanna & are not govt funded to rebuild),

- an eco-tourism business opportunity,

- and most importantly a community survival shelter in the event on another cyclone.

They also believe other communities will participate in and visit the first builds on Tanna and are then likely to replicate the concept in their own communities.

To support them with these initial builds Fruit of the Pacific are:

- Producing a step-by-step educational DVD for them to take home to reference.

- Providing tool kits which include sledgehammers, spades, levels, hammers and spades required to build the earthships

- Providing a trailer to support the communities to move the earth, coral and tyres to building sites

- Supporting the transport of tyres from Port Vila to Tanna (250/shelter)

To make all possible this possible and plant the seed in the island of Tanna, we would love to find sponsors to support the building process of a demonstration build in the village of Loukatai, Tanna ($$ will cover materials, labour and transport of tyres). Loukatai is on the main road from the airport to the main town, Lenakel. Many people - locals and tourists pass here, particularly on market days (mon, wed & fri) - so we're supporting this as the first build to raise profile, learning and awareness about these amazing low cost and sustainable structures.

Fruit of the Pacific's involvement (page creator)

Fruit of the Pacific is a charitable trust that has run education programmes with Ni Vanuatu migrants working in the kiwifruit industry since 2009. Our programmes are learner-led and have focused on community development, financial empowerment and health promotion.

This year, our founder, Kylie DellaBarca Steel, was in Port Vila faciliating an oral health conference with the Ministry of Health, when Cyclone Pam struck.

She returned from this life changing event to focus this years programmes on rebuild projects which have included the earthship survival shelter, a portable sawmill community rebuild project and a re-resourcing schools project. These are under the umbrella programme - Te Puke Tanna Together which aims to link the community these Ni Vanuatu work in with their home communities on the island of Tanna.