Luganville, Vanuatu 2018-2020
Nairana-Mirrabooka Study Centres
Warrane College
Giving back to the community
In 2019, 38 young men from Australia and New Zealand went to the town of Luganville on the island of Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu for over two weeks in January to refurbish a school called College Technique San Michel that caters for 400 students. In partnership with Reledev, the volunteers took an interest in refurbishment work after Warrane College volunteers had built a kindergarten at San Michel in July 2018. The year before, 20 residents from Warrane College, UNSW went to Vanuatu for a three-week workcamp from 27 June to 15 July. The group built a new classroom, toilets, and a shower for 38 local kindergarten children at San Michele Primary School in Santo Island.
In January 2020, the project continued in Luganville with a group of 15 senior high school and university-aged students refurbished classrooms at San Michel High School in Luganville and repainting the San Michel Church.
Jeremy Blades (Warrane College participant)
“Working and living at the San Michele Primary School for 3 weeks was an extremely rewarding experience. Our project aimed to build a kindergarten classroom for 38 children. We were lucky enough to spend time playing soccer with local school children and help teach English in the classroom. The village community was really vibrant especially during the time of the soccer World Cup finals. I loved seeing the local kids so happy and we were all indebted to the amazing culture of the village and school.”
