Savusavu bus shelters add valuable protection from the elements



Happy villagers in the completed bus shelter

Hot sun, torrential downpours and driving winds

Standing outside with the hot sun roasting you in Fiji is almost as bad as getting soaked by a torrential downpour, and if the wind is driving in, it is almost too much too bear. Until recently, all the elements can throw at you has been borne by Savusavu villagers waiting lengthy periods for the bus to come along. It did not matter whether those waiting were children to go to school, or seniors and ill villagers waiting to go to town for medical appointments or to the hospital for treatment, or for villagers to take their goods to town to sell at the market, the wait could sometimes be a real ordeal.

 

Not anymore. Villagers can now wait in safety and comfort, thanks to this ongoing project of the Rotary Club of Savusavu whose decision in 2012 to fundraise to build much needed bus shelters in and around the township of Savusavu has seen eight bus shelters constructed. The club has not gone it alone, as the funding for these and at least two more planned for 2014 has been possible thanks to a wonderful relationship with some overseas Rotary clubs, mostly from District 5370 in Alberta, Canada plus others in Australia and Auckland, NZ. Often these are valued as more than just bus shelters, as they have also been used for talanoa (local Fijian story-telling and conversation).

These are no ordinary bus shelters, as they are constructed to a specific cyclone standard and are a generous 17’x10’ or 14’x10’. The actual construction is a close partnership with the village involved. The Rotary contribution is: arranging the initial meeting with the Headman and Ratu (Chief) of the village; providing professionally drawn plans and all building materials and transport to site; supervising the project and then displaying a Rotary sign at the completed bus shelter acknowledging the contributing overseas Rotary club. The recipient village or school provides carpenters and general labourers, builder’s mix, building tools and equipment.

In typical island style, there is always a wonderful celebration of food during the build, often with the entire Savusavu Rotary Club at a special ceremony with speeches of thanks, more food, singing and dancing.

More information: www.savusavu.rotarysouthpacific.org

Rotary BA Does It Again

Fiji has a new Rotary club being formed for the first time since 2002.  The last Club chartered in Fiji was the Rotary Club of Taveuni in 2002.

The new club, situated in Ba will be chartered on Friday 31 May 2013.  This will make it the 10th  Rotary Club in Fiji.  The new club will be a New Generations Club as it will consist of younger members and it already has 30 members to do Rotarian good.

Past Rotary International President Luis Vicente Giay coined the term New Generations when he shared his belief that the future of Rotary relied on involving young people in the organization’s programs and activities.  He said, “Our vision for the future, now more than ever, is the difference between success and failure.  The New Generations are our investment in the future.  Let us begin to build that future today.”

BA has had a Rotary Club prior to this, which operated from 1972 until 2003. The New Generations club will be starting from scratch and will fill a valuable role in the community bringing the total of Rotarians in Fiji to around 230.

The formation of the BA Club is being sponsored by the Rotary Club of Suva, which is the oldest Club in Fiji.  It was formed in 1936 as the 1st  Club in the South Pacific.  The current President for the Suva Club is Michael Yee Joy.

Some of the recent projects Rotarians in Fiji have been involved with include:

•   Disaster preparedness including relief and recovery after Cyclones
•   A CD scanner for Suva Hospital
•   Dialysis machines for the Dialysis Clinic in Suva
•   Water for Life projects in remote villages
•   Pre schools on Taveuni
•   Koroipita housing in Lautoka

Fiji is part of a larger district that includes 51 different clubs across Auckland and the Pacific Islands and the Ba club being chartered this Friday, is the 3rd  club this Rotary year after Highbrook and Franklin in New Zealand.

Anyone interested in finding out more about Rotary can go to www.rotarysouthpacific.org

Emergency Response Kits being delivered during the Fiji Floods

Click here for information about ERK's  and how to donate to help replensih the stiocks used so there are enough on hand for the next disaster.

5 April NEWS:

Pre positioning ERK’s in Fiji has enabled us to continue to provide rapid response.

MFAT have agreed to fund the replacement of 200 ERK’s’

We will be restocking in coming weeks and appeal to clubs [and other supporters] to send donations for ERK’s as well as food packs. Details on our website. www.rnzwcs.org

Fiji Floods - news on 3 April

Update:  Western Division 12.30pm Tuesday 3 April 2012

Rotary has been distributing food to specific centres and areas having been directed by DISMAC to do so.

In the main the distribution until today has been food.

The food packs support a family of 4 for up to one week.

Emergency Response Kits (ERK’s) distribution has now commenced in earnest to those areas not previously accessible by road.

Distribution is being managed using the template established in January.

Distribution to evacuation centres as follows:

Food packs to following schools 530 in total (larger families given more than one pack)

Nadi

Andrews Primary School                                                158 families

Nadi Muslim                                                                    60 families

PWD depot Navakai                                                        12 families

Lautoka

Lovu Sangam School                                                    28 families
Vitogo District School                                                   18 families
Vitogo Hall                                                                    12 families
Vitogo village Centre #2                                                    6 families
Drasa Muslim Primary                                                     20 families
Drasa Primary School                                                       3 families
Private house behind Drasa Primary School                      3 families
Lautoka Primary School                                                  22 families

ERKs distribution commenced today

Sigatoka – (today 03/04)

Semo Village                                                    50 ERKs

                                                                        20 food packs

Emuri village –                                                  10 ERKs

Indications are that over next few days our ERKs stocks may be exhausted.

Prior to :   788 in Lautoka, 141 Suva

260 ERK’s have been signed out from  Lautoka. today

In addition clothing has been called for and 22 large cartons held in Lautoka have been distributed.

Rotary New Zealand is funding food parcels.

Rotary New Zealand will replenish ERK’s stock.

Rotarians of the Rotary Club of Lautoka distributing food parcels.  $40  feeds a family of 4 for one week.

ShelterBox deploys to aid Fiji flood victims

ShelterBox New Zealand has deployed a response team to work with the Rotary Club of Suva East to coordinate a response to the heavy flooding that has hit the South Pacific Islands of Fiji. A ShelterBox Response Team, comprising, Lyndon Tamblyn (NZ) and Sally Fletcher (NZ) will fly out to assess the needs and facilitate the importation and distribution of emergency aid.

SRT Lyndon Tamblyn (NZ) in Suva, November 2011 demonstrating the ShelterBox equipment

With a state of emergency declared in the West of the island nation, some 12,000 people are currently housed in evacuation centres, and nearly 3,000 households affected thus far. Although the rains eased over the weekend, the threat posed by the approaching Cyclone Daphne gives cause for grave concern.

ShelterBox International Director, Lasse Petersen said,

“We are consulting with several key players, including Rotary in Suva, DISMAC (Fijian disaster management), The Red Cross and the New Zealand Government to coordinate an appropriate and rapid response.