The tsunami hit Samoa at the end of September 2009. A New Zealand Baptist team visited Samoa in November. It was then six weeks after the tsunami. The clean up operation was running at full speed, but still things were an incredible mess. We saw the damage and heard the stories. Some incredible stories of survival, some shattering stories of loss. We were privileged to be able to offer a small contribution to the rebuilding process.  

When we returned from that visit the technical team got to work planning for the new school. We went back to Samoa in December with a draft set of plans. As we talked these plans through with the local community and the Samoan Ministry of Education (MESC) it became obvious that there were some significant changes needed. It also became obvious that the project was growing a lot bigger than we had initially envisaged. We are no longer just rebuilding the small village school that used to be in Satitoa. It has grown bigger for a number of reasons:

• The move to a new site is good for the future of the school. It has the capacity for a bigger and better school, and for community facilities. It will be well out of the way of future climate related problems, either tsunami or the effects of global warming. However the new site, being on soft ground, and having a slope down to the east, does require more foundations and a different structure than if we were building on the flat ground of the original school. There is a photo attached showing the start of clearing the trees and growth off the new site.
• With the move to a new site and the opportunity to build a completely new school, the Ministry asked for a significant upgrade on the facilities of the old school. This is good planning on their part, and it will be good for the community. However it means that we are going to build bigger, better classrooms; a bigger, better toilet facility; and the plans also require the addition of a separate administration block.

All of these issues are good planning on the part of the MESC, and will be good for the community and for Samoa. However it does mean that the project is a lot bigger, and will cost a lot more than our original budget. The original project was for NZ$200,000. If we were just rebuilding the original school on the original site, then it would have been quite possible. The present project is significantly different to that original proposal. This is now a brand new school which will have excellent facilities.

We have now almost completed the planning stage. The cost estimates that we have for building according to the new plans will be NZ$1,400,000. This is for the total project built by local contractors. It includes some provision for site development, and also some allowance for contingencies (which almost always happen in a building project!). This price doesn't take into account things like volunteer labour (which we have offers of both from the local community and from New Zealand), or any donations of materials which have also been offered. Both of these offers will reduce the cost by a certain amount.

Regardless of issues of volunteers and the donations of materials, the project will still be a long way beyond the funds that we have!

BANZAid has NZ$150,000 from NZAID. We have also received a further NZ$150,000 in donations to date. This means that we have NZ$300,000 in hand to start the project. This is 50% more than the original budget, but probably still only a quarter of what is needed for the full project.

We can divide the project into stages. Stage 1 would be one classroom block and the toilet block. Stage 2 would be the second classroom block and Stage 3 would be the administration block.  Stage 1 would enable the school to at least get started again with some facilities. Stages 2 & 3 would have to wait for a later time as funds became available, or for the Samoan Government to complete.

We are now looking for further funds just to be able to complete Stage 1 of the project. As well as donations from individuals, we will be looking for commercial sponsors. We will also talk more with both the Samoan Government and the New Zealand Government to see if further funds are available through them. We will be exploring all the avenues that we can to find the funds to complete the project. We need your help with this. If you know of any potential funding sources, please contact us!

We are completing final details of the plans. We anticipate going to Samoa early in April to apply for building permits. We would like also at that time to be able to finalise negotiations with suppliers for materials and with a contractor to be able to commence at least the first stages of the actual building.

We need your support, prayers and help to make this project a reality for the children of Satitoa!