PNG & Solomon Islands: Project to distribute donated school supplies to remote areas
Graeme Ward has cruised these islands extensively. After seeing first-hand how little the children in these remote villages have, he has kick-started a small project amongst the cruising community to collect discarded school supplies and put them to good use. See the latest update about this project in comments at the bottom of the report.
Published 9 years ago, updated 7 months ago
The Solomons is definitely the poor cousin to Vanuatu, its very underdeveloped regards tourism, infrastructure and aid. The places we visited appreciate yachts, the locals have few ways of making income, to the point some of the kids wear barely rags. It’s moving to see how much it means when they can trade food from their gardens for something that really helps them.
I am trying to get a small project happening, after seeing first hand how little some of the kids there have, and how much the kids in western society throw out at end of school year. And I am hoping that there are other cruisers out there willing to participate.
We will collect good used pens/ pencils books etc. and send them to Noel and Rose Hudson in Liapari, a beautiful place near Ghizo, Solomon Islands. Noel and Rose run a great operation for visiting yachts in Liapari and have helped tremendously with this project.
Yachts who transit this area can take from Noel and Rose whatever they feel able to distribute to the places they visit. Just a single colouring pencil or book will often get you a papaya and a smile you won’t forget! This, with your help, will promote relations with yachts passing through, as well as help these kids, and is the best form of recycling!
A special mention to noonsite, for helping me get the word out about this project, to Noel and Rose who donated the considerable first freight cost and will hold the supplies for the project, and to the kids and staff of Mundaring Christian College WA, who have started the collection process.
If you are heading to this part of the South Pacific and are willing to participate, or drop small boxes to Noel for others to distribute, or just would like some more information, please e-mail me.
Us yachties can make a small difference!
Thanks,
Graeme, Connie, Trouble and Strife (our dogs) – INTI crew.
Related to following destinations: Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands
Related to the following Cruising Resources: Citizen Science, Cruising Impact, Environment, Off the Beaten Path
Update from Graeme, February 2023:
After spending a lot of time trying to arrange further donations, we came to the frustrating conclusion it was too difficult to deal with customs in the Solomon’s plus ridiculous freight costs (it was actually cheaper to buy new items over there than freight free things). A couple of yachties did contact me and took some supplies they sourced, but Covid and Noel’s passing, who ran Liapari, have put a stop to that as well.