Team TAFE Kindergarten Rebuilding Fiji

In October, A group of 10 students from TAFE Brisbane’s Diploma of Building & Construction and Associate Degree in Civil Engineering are travelling to Fiji to help re-build a kindergarten which was demolished in Cyclone Winston in 2016. Together, they've now raised over $2000 towards the cost of timber framing and construction materials!

 This community in Lautoka is a charitable organization housing 400 residents from disadvantaged backgrounds living in poverty conditions in Fiji. Consisting mainly of single mothers and their children, the community receives social assistance but has very limited resources and significant needs in various areas.

In 2016, Cyclone Winston completely demolished the make-shift kindergarten structure used for early childhood education. Unfortunately, even in today’s day and age, not everyone has the luxury of basic education. Beginning with basic education is the first step to leading a life with opportunity, in order to deliver basic education the kids need a classroom of their own.

The kindergarten makes use of the community hall with classes running 8am-11am, with no dedicated classroom for the students and teachers to make use of. Disagreements about the state of the hall occur regularly between the various youth groups, church gatherings & village meetings.

There are 36 students registered (aged 3-5 years) with around 20+ in attendance each day. Two teachers certified (USP or FNU) in Early Childhood teaching run the class. The students come from within the community housing as well as the surrounding farmland areas, travelling to school on foot or by bus.

Help us build a new classroom!

A dedicated classroom built for the community would immensely aid the facilitation of teaching the students, in a nurturing environment that is solely for the care and education of the students. Teachers wouldn’t have to worry about equipment & supplies being misused; classes could run for a full day with members of the community having their hall back for regular use without education material covering the walls and ceiling.

Project Materials Required (FJD)

No Description Size QTY Unit Price Total
1 Exterior Plyboard 8×4 (20mm) 37 $ 117.00 $ 4,329.00
2 Weather Boards 6 inch 300 run ft 0.36 1121.2 $ 403.63
3 Window Frame 6 inch clip 21 19.5 $ 409.50
4 Plyboard 8 x 4 (4mm) 40 23.62 $ 944.80
5 Nail Panel pin 25 x 1.6mm 4 7.45 $ 29.80
6 Guttering Zincalume 13 15 $ 195.00
7 Paint Décor Semi Gloss 10 100 $ 1,000.00
8 Framing 8 x 2 Pine H3 0.42 1048.89 $ 440.53
9 Framing 10 x 2 Pine H3 0.5025 1138.89 $ 572.29
10 Nails, Screws etc assorted 1 500 $ 500.00
$ 8,824.56

 

WOMAN & CHILDREN COMMUNE PROJECT FIJI

 

Marium


Mariam is 29 years old. She is a single-mum of 3 boys and was a victim of domestic violence for years. She was so badly beaten-up by her husband when she was pregnant that one of her sons was born disabled and another with learning difficulties.  After a final vicious beating of her and her kids where they were left with bleeding, swelling and bruises, there was no denying domestic violence any longer. Her husband was charged and put in jail. Despite this, all four live in absolute fear. They all have scars on their bodies and minds from the violence. Mariam has nothing and can’t work because she is deeply depressed and incapacitated by it. You can see in her eyes the pain she has endured. She feels she’s alone in the world for her family doesn’t support or visit her. When I asked her what keeps her going and what she hoped for, she answered: “Love”, something no human should be deprived of in my opinion. ?

Now it might seem like a hopeless situation but one day, I assured her, her story will become a breathtaking mosaic of the battles she’s has fought and won.

 

Help us re-build a kindergarten in a Woman & Children’s Commune in Fiji

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