For the third time in five years College boys have made a tangible difference to young children in Samoa.
This time it was a dozen Year 13 boys who spent eight days in Samoa, staying in the village of Lalomanu, completing a major painting and refurbishment project for the nearby Satitoa village pre- school. Special Projects Neil Porter and his wife, Debra, the College team had to adjust to life in Samoa and to working in the tropical climate. “It was an amazing experience, and our boys worked hard during the day, sometimes in very hot temperatures in order to finish the tasks. They sanded down Led by Assistant Principal – Community Engagement and
the outdoor play equipment and repainted it, painted the interior of the pre-school as well as the uprights of a new building which had been constructed to provide shade for the mothers and children. “The pre-school parents provided lunch, which allowed the group to get to know them. It was the local school holidays so on the last day the little kids came to play and test out their newly painted playground,” says Neil. “A new initiative on this trip was the opportunity for the College team to spend a night in the homes of some of the pre-school
community. That was a wonderful experience for them, which has created lasting bonds with their Samoan families.” Throughout their stay the boys were accommodated in open fales at Anita’s Beach Bungalows in Lalomanu and quickly became used to life on the ocean’s edge. Satitoa was badly affected by the 2009 tsunami which devastated parts of Samoa, and large parts of the village were forced to relocate further inland. “A number of homes, the church and community buildings had to be rebuilt and it has proven a major undertaking,” says Neil.
College Issue 35 2018
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