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Namara School Relief Fund, Wayalailai Fiji

  • Update for 21/01/2013

      21 January 2013

    As at the 21st of January we have the following updates: Mr Neill has returned from Fiji with a list of equipment and medical needs for the island. After the success of our two recent BBQ's at the Warehouse in Napier we have decided to hold another three! We have also selected three students: Latu Amani from H.B.H.S. Dana Piwari from H.G.H.S. and Miami Walsh from Karamu High school to travel to Namara school with Mr Neill and myself in late March and deliver relief packs for villages. These packs will include medicine, clothing and some basic food items. I have also posted some new photos showing clearly the devastation and damage of the cyclone. Pleas continue your support - we have had 35 people offer to help with the BBQ's - over 20 students from high school who are all ex leadership academy students have fronted to sell sausages, cakes and raffle tickets in their summer break. So well done everyone and keep supporting this appeal as we hope to reach up to $14,000 by late March.

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  • Update for 05/01/2013

      5 January 2013

    Latest updates: 1. Tony Neill, HI.I.S. staff member who is currently on Wayalailai island, has advised re roofing work is well underway and that the Fijians are in a positive frame of mind. They are particularly grateful to H.I.S. for organising some support and raising funds for them. Tony says they mention this almost daily and are very humbled and encouraged by this support. 2. Karamu Rotary have graciously offered to donate $1,000 which will be posted onto the site in the next few days - thank you for this. 3. Hastings KMart - manager in particular - was very generous in their support with clothing for the children which has brought many smiles and much cheer to the kids and their parents - thanks for this. 4. Warehouse Napier are allowing us to run two sausage sizzles on Friday 11th and Friday 18th January and are also allowing us to operate cake stalls and a raffle on the day. Thanks for this support - 5. Our local paper Hawkes Bay Today ran a great article on the charity appeal. follow this link to read it. http://www.hawkesbaytoday.co.nz/news/helping-hand-for-sister-school/1704600/ Keep up the support and keep spreading the message on this appeal. Thanks all - Andrew Shortcliffe

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  • Update for 01/01/2013

      1 January 2013

    On Saturday 29th December 2012 Tony Neill (Hastings Intermediate staff member) and Brian MacDonald - Leadership academy sponsor - left for Wayalailai Island. Tony has been sending back updates and photos daily and many of these have been added to this site. As you can see the school's classes and village homes have been destroyed. One of Hastings Intermediate's Key sponsors KMart in Hastings has generously assisted with the purchase and supply of clothing for the children on the island and this gift was met with enthusiasm and tears by the locals. They have heard of our mission to raise funds to assist them and appreciate the efforts of Hastings Int, our sponsors and past students who have visited the island. One of the stories posted here talks about a family who lost their house and then spent the night hiding under a palm tree while the storm ravaged around them. The whole time in fear of their life. What makes it more real for us all is that one of these children had only recently been visiting and staying in Hastings and attending our school for a week in December. Sauul and his family are now homeless but are thankfully still all in good health and cheer. Special thanks to Karamu Rotary for their generous donation of $1,000 and also of several sponsors in Hawkes Bay and overseas who have made donations. Your help is gratefully appreciated. We currently have a mufti day and school disco planned for early February and am inviting the ex leadership academy students of 2011 and 2012 to join the 2013 members in a relief raffle to be held in the first two weeks of February.

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  • Update for 28/12/2012

      28 December 2012

    Storm safe Saturday, December 22, 2012 A 66-YEAR-OLD Yasawa widow frantically dug through sand under her home as the fury of Tropical Cyclone Evan whipped roofs off dwellings, smashed through buildings and threatened the lives of her grandchildren. Ruci Katonitabua of Namara Village on Wayalailai said she would never forget what happened on Monday night when Evan unleashed destructive force winds in an area often referred to as the gateway to paradise. In an interview with The Fiji Times in her village family home, Ms Katonitabua relayed her account of courage and determination as the only thought on her mind were the lives of her four grandchildren. At the height of the cyclone, Ms Katonitabua said the noise was deafening and she could feel the house shaking. Thinking she and her family were minutes from death, she cleared floorboards and began digging in the sand, making a refuge for her and her grandchildren to shelter in. ""I had no other choice. We couldn't run to another house because of the flying roofing iron and objects being thrown around by the cyclone,"" Ms Katonitabua shared. ""All we could think of was to dig a hole in the sand under the floor. ""After digging we put a mat inside and then used a tarpaulin to cover our heads. ""We stayed there for about two hours as the wind intensified and all we could do was to hold each others' hands and pray hoping the wind would calm down. ""We were later joined by my son who was checking all households at the height of the cyclone. ""After two hours of lying in the sand we were evacuated by some villagers to another house."" Ms Katonitabua said the fury of TC Evan was unlike any cyclone she had experienced before. ""We had just returned from Lautoka when the cyclone struck. ""This cyclone was one of the worst disasters to hit our village. It has left many families homeless. ""But I thank Almighty God for saving my life and for keeping my grandchildren safe."" Villagers on the island said TC Evan began its onslaught at 1pm and the ordeal lasted until at least 9pm before the winds subsided.

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