Fiji service trip

Back to Vanuakula - Service in Action

The July holidays saw another excited and enthusiastic group of 23 Year 13 Students return to Fiji to continue to build the relationship of our College community with the Vanuakula Village. The group was accompanied by four staff and ten other adults and parents. There were four key projects  this year.

The House and Painting Teams

The main project was to build another house for the family who the chief deemed the most deserving. This time it was for Thomas and his family, who had managed to put aside the greatest amount of money towards their house. We wondered, at times, whether we would finish in time. However, Grant Dunham and Andrew Burn successfully led the team to ensure completion. Andrew even has a crushed finger to prove it! In the meantime Paul Van Kol kept the painting team going full steam ahead to complete the painting of the house.

Convent

Last year we concreted the floor and built some walls for the sewing area for the ladies of the village. This year, Tim Collins and his helpers put in windows to help finish off the area for these local women to begin a sewing group under the guidance of Sister Alicia Mapa. She is a Filipino Cluny Sister who lives up in the mission permanently.

Water Supply

The St Vincent de Paul Society provided a water tank to improve the water quality of the village. Jim Loughlin led this team with the able assistance of Rob Mabbett and Clarrie Forrest to improve the water supply to each house in the village. An 80 metre trench was completed very quickly and Jim, the plumber, became famous. The hero of the village!

Lino Tiles in the Classrooms

Roger Dunham and Tim Collins led a team in laying lino tiles on the concrete floor in the same classrooms that were painted last year. Master John, the Principal, is absolutely delighted with the new development not to mention the students.

The Sustenance Team

Francis Dunham, Trudy OConnor, Louise Mabbett ably assisted by driver Terry Consedine kept up the energy of all the workers! There were trips into Suva most days for nutritious fresh fruit and vegetables from the market as well as supermarket items. Our meals were of a very high standard. Rob Mabbett gave us some excellent advice in the medical area to ensure that students maintained good health. Nevertheless, we did check out facilities at both the Public and Private hospitals in Suva. We thoroughly appreciated his assistance.

The Student Team

The student team was once again fantastic. Each student is a credit to their families and were certainly excellent representatives for our College. They each faced the challenge of difficult living conditions; airbeds on the concrete floor, sleeping alongside others, amidst the snoring of those who were sleeping, undrinkable water in the taps, cold water for washing and toilets not to be mentioned, until Rob came to the rescue! There were insects and reptiles like you have never seen. In spite of having to adjust to these conditions there was no moaning. Within a short time everyone had their focus on what they were doing there

The projects were completed with much joy! Once the chores were complete the treat for the day a trip to the river. Some evenings were spent around the fire for those who had the energy or determination. Other evenings were dancing and enjoying life with the people in the village on Friday and Saturday and again on Tuesday. They have a real infectious joy about life amidst their simplicity As a result of this and the work in the village on the water supply, there was a much greater interaction with the people of the village this time. There were a number of invitations to kava sessions with the locals which were not always met with huge enthusiasm! the taste is something else but strong connections were made.

Overall,the experience was once again a huge life giving experience for all those involved. The students and the College are very grateful to the parents and friends of the College who supported this Project in so many ways. Special thanks go to Rotary for their very generous donation as well as the St Vincent de Paul Society.