Rotary installs solar at PNG school

Four members of the Rotary Club of Umina Beach have just returned from Vakuta, an island with no electricity, in the Papua New Guinea group where they delivered and installed solar panels and water tanks to the local school.

They have provided light to classrooms, office and the school perimeter as well as two teacher's huts.

Power outlets were added for charging laptops and mobile phones, according to Mr Geoff Melville from Rotary Club of Umina.

Guttering was installed on the roof areas of school buildings and water pipes connected to tanks to assist during the many dry spells the island suffers.

Rotary team leader, Mr Steven Gagau of Umina, an engineer and a native of PNG, organised the special project and was hands on with the installation.

He was joined by Mr Ryan White, a local builder, who arranged to take 100 pairs of football boots and jerseys from the Mariners for the village children.

Mr Shane Johnson, a local real estate agent and team member, organised 1000 re-useable sanitary kits for young school girls who have nothing like that available locally.

Mr Peter Doherty, a local painter and decorator, was on the third Rotary International Project for his Rotary Club.

Mr Doherty was involved in building a Community Hall in Central Mindanao, The Philippines and was on a previous Solar Power Project in PNG.

Ms Grace Hull, a teacher's aide at Wyoming, was born on Vakuta Island and still has family there.

Ms Angela Byrne, a teacher at Wyoming, was part of a team that previously took teaching materials to the school.

Ms Hull and Ms Byrne joined the Rotary Team to assist and organise the locals to help with the installation.

The project was funded by a special donation by a Rotary Club member, club funds raised locally and two separate grants from The Rotary Foundation.

Media release, 18 Aug 2016

Geoff Melville, Rotary Club Umina