Progress on the Makogai School Project

Outsider in Makogai

Volunteers for the Makogai School Project  - June 5th

Ian and Wendy on "Outsider"  have been leading the efforts here on Makogai with a small fleet of Sea Mercy volunteer vessels and teams of international volunteers helping to rebuild the school. They have made much progress even before the landing craft arrived with additional supplies. Thank you Ian and Wendy for your awesome leadership and commitment!!

You can read a full description of the project and appreciate the scope of the work that needs to by done at seamercy.org/makogai. Here are pictures of progress so far.

The first temporary school set up after Winston.

The first one blew down so a second one was set up.
School must end at noon because the tents are too hot.

The bathrooms are on the left, the primary grades were in the
building in the center and the secondary grades were on the right.

The foundation is all that is left of the secondary grade building.
All the books and supplies were ruined.

A distant view of the school grounds.

Before we start rebuilding the school, we must get water to the site.

Off-loading the water tank - pretty sure this was OSHA approved.

Getting the tank installed and water to the school from the
village was a morale booster - now, if we can just find the off switch.

Ian working with Fili, the village head man, to install the
watermaker over the brackish well.

The longboat is the Fijian workhorse and the men and women
driving them are brave beyond belief! They helped us deliver some
of our First Response supplies.

Offloading the long boats....

While they are waiting for the landing craft to bring supplies, volunteers and children from the school repaint the bathrooms - the only building from the school to survive.

Before

Eager volunteers :)

After. The Bob Marley color scheme was not requested
but the bright colors were perfect for morale.

As the painting continued, more children arrive
from the village and then joined in.

Clearing the wood, glass, nails and destroyed books
from the building site.

One section cleared and ready for rebuilding.

Another section almost cleared with the help of a little friend :)

Cleaning cinder blocks for reuse.

Repairing and using what you have.

The winds of this Category 5 cyclone reached speeds of over 200 mph and Makogai was directly in the path of the storm. The devastation can be seen all over the island.

In the village, homes were destroyed.

The government fishery where they had a turtle
farm was also destroyed.

The power of +200 mph winds.....

The people were traumatized by the storm
 but the children are starting to recover from the event.

The start of something beautiful.