Following the disastrous cyclone Winston in 2016, our club has embarked on of the most ambitious projects in the South Pacific Area – the rebuilding of the school on the island of Qamea in the village of Dreketi. The school was destroyed by a landslide and the club’s aim is to rebuild and improve this school. Already 80% of the funds have been raised, a builder has been found and work is expected to commence in 2022.
12 months ago, in April 2021, we had a visit from two members of the Dreketi school board. They proceeded to tell us the extraordinary of the school in the village of Dreketi on Qamea Island, approximately one hour by boat from Taveuni Island, Fiji.
Six years ago – February 2016 – Cyclone Winston ripped through FIJI. It caused some damage to the village school but over the next few months the school was repaired, repainted and all seemed good.
Nine months later the wet season with extremely heavy rain caused fifteen landslides around the island of Qamea. The most probable cause of the landslips was that Cyclone Winston had stripped most of the trees off the steep hill side. The outcome of the landslips was several houses destroyed and the school almost tipped on its face and destroyed.
Timing can often be everything and in this case it was bad. All the aid from Australia, New Zealand, Europe, and Japan etc to help rebuild schools & public buildings post cyclone Winston had been allocated or spent. The Education Department had nothing left and the school board were told it would take three years for their school to be rebuilt.
Three years later and the fifty students are being taught in a temporary building more suited as a chicken shed. They also have access to an old church. The new school building has still not started.
2020 began with the Covid pandemic which instantly killed Fiji’s economy through tourism and the start of the school build.
In December 2020 Fiji had a second category five cyclone. Yasa roared through the north of Fiji and destroyed more schools, public buildings, houses etc. This was followed in January with a category four cyclone again with massive amounts of rain and extensive flooding and more damage.
When the Dreketi school board approached the Education Department in Fiji towards the end of cyclone season 2021 to ask when the new school would be started, they were informed “there was no start date, there was NO money!” Dreketi would not be getting a new school. They had dropped off the list.
The question put to us was: “CAN ROTARY HELP US? We have nowhere else to go. There’s no one we can turn to please!”
Sketch plans were presented to the education infrastructure department and the Northern Division Town Planning and Building Department. The Ministry of Education was suitably impressed and extremely happy that a school was going to be built. The Building Dept needed a full set of working drawings professionally done.
Project Cost & Fundraising
Peter has completed a comprehensive bill of quantities l of the materials required for the project. We have sent out lists to suppliers for quotations and determined the total cost of the project. Including labour and a 5% contingency, the total cost of the project is
$225,000 FJD
The Laucala School Board (Dreketi School) has set up a Trust Fund with $100,000 FJD from the Laucala Resort (owned by Red Bull) where many of the villagers’ work. The Rotary Club of Taveuni has committed $40,000 FJD.
Construction:
A local Fijian builder Kanito Yava is ready to start. Kanito came across to the site and helped determine the position of the new buildings. Yava had just completed a new three classroom block at our local village (Naselesele) ahead of schedule and under budget. So Yava and his team will build the school, Rotarian Peter Brown will manage the project, supervise the build and authorise payments from the school trust.
| Donor | FJ $ | AUD $ | |
| A$ 169.640 | A$ 108.172 | ||
| Laucala Resort | A$ 100.000 | A$ 63.694 | |
| RC Taveuni | A$ 40.000 | A$ 25.478 | |
| RC Frankston Peninsula 2.0 | A$ 7.800 | A$ 5.000 | |
| RC Mordialloc | A$ 7.800 | A$ 5.000 | |
| RC Foster, Gippsland | A$ 3.900 | A$ 2.500 | |
| RC Beaumaris | TBA | ||
| RC Warrandyte Donvale | A$ 3.900 | A$ 2.500 | |
| RC Oakleigh Clayton Huntingdale | A$ 6.240 | A$ 4.000 | |
| RC Cheltenham | TBA | ||
| RC Mount Martha | TBA | ||
| RC Rosebud | TBA | ||
| RC Sandringham | TBA | ||
| RC Templestowe | TBA | ||
| RC Seaford Carrum Downs | TBA | ||
Fund Raising
The Rotary Club of Taveuni will NOT proceed with this project until all the funds are ready to be spent. If you can help us find the remaining $FJ40000 we will send it wisely and carefully. We have a reputation to uphold!