(Email and pictures from Rotarian Keith Innes, Port Macquarie Rotary Club)
Steve Roberts is taking a team to Tanna toward the end of April to make repairs to Lousala school and is still looking for volunteers.
RAWCS TEAM VISIT TO TANNA ISLAND, VANUATU
This is a guide as to what needs to be considered by Team Leaders and Volunteers undertaking project work on behalf of Rotary, for the Ministry of Education on Tanna Island, Vanuatu
All volunteers require a Working With Children clearance.
TEAM LEADER
Apprentice Other groups have found that an apprentice can benefit a great deal from the learning and experience of joining a team on Tanna. Can your club raise the funds to recruit an apprentice locally?
As soon as you receive the email indicating that the team is registered add your team members and encourage them to complete their paperwork asap.
It is also important that each team member deposit the cost of the trip through the RAWCS website so that tickets can be finalised and accommodation paid for. This will avoid the risk of non-access to cash, fluctuating exchange rates.
Contacts: The Team leader should contact the Rotary Club of Port Vila – President Roland Mortimer tel: +6787718983 roland@vanuatu.com.vu; portvila.rotary@gmail.com to advise the local club that the group expects to be on Tanna.
Other contacts: President Elect Naomi Sailas; Naomi.S@nbv.vu; and Member Chris Kerno (NFD).
The Rotary Club of Port Vila has good contacts at the local newspaper. The Club can be contacted with through Facebook.
Government agencies with whom we deal are Ministry of Education – office and schools on Tanna, and T-VETS (Local equivalent of TAFE) Director Joe Lautim.
TRANSPORT
- AIR: Air Vanuatu often change the scheduled departure times of inter-island flights. Because there are some areas around Port Vila where the internet is not available, it is highly recommended that team leaders ring Air Vanuatu to check that the flight they have booked for has not been changed. Their Port Vila telephone number is 23838. They are only open during office hours and there is a long waiting time before a customer services officer responds which uses up a lot of “telephone credit”.
- Transport needs have to be considered re airport pickup/drop off/to and from project and while on site.
- VEHICLE: RAWCS has access to a vehicle, a Nissan Navara, located at White Grass Resort. Because of poor road conditions and the fact that vehicles are left hand drive, it is recommended that volunteers who are not familiar with “island driving” engage a local to drive for them. Contact is Wayne at White Grass Resort admin@whitegrasstanna.com
LOGISTICS:
- Power requirements: Vanuatu Power is 240v and power points are three pin plugs as used in Australia.
- RAWCS District 9650 will assess logistics requirements and order a list of materials to be shipped to Tanna. Port Vila-based Vila Distribution Hardware, Wayne Lance (Manager) (Mob +6785552804, Tel +678 22069) (e-mail hardware@viladistribution.com site www.hardware@viladistribution.com) will facilitate the supply and movement of materials from Port Vila to Tanna.
- The Availability Of Technical Plans And Specifications – info as provided by respective ministries and/or architectural surveys conducted by Karen Burke.
- Ministry of Education personnel, i.e, principals, parents of the schools to be repaired will arrange for the material to be picked up at the wharf, delivered to and secured at the school(s).
AVAILABLE LABOUR:
Depending on the composition of their team, Team Leaders should consider speaking to the Project Leader Steve Roberts 0475 516 090 about provision of TAFE-level tradesmen (T-VETS) to help with technical assistance at the schools whilst drawing on volunteer labour for security of materials and production of basic items, e.g., bricks, cement, foundations etc… Local labour, through T-VETS should be able to handle the repairs to/replacement of upper building structures.
- If needed the Project manager can also arrange for assistance of a local contractor, Tom Kaltoi, who manages INTK Construction (+678 7331695).
Below are some of the pictures which will reinforce the damage done to buildings over there.
