[Home] [Up]

Educational Scholarships and Awards  

Vanuatu Institute of Teacher Education (VITE)
This is the major charitable project managed by the trust. 
Funded by a donation of £2,500 by Derrick & Edna Butterfield this educational development fund is managedin-country by the BFOV-VITE Committee, a small group made up of teaching and admin staff from the training college.   In 2006, the trust donated an HP commercial printer and toner stock, repairs to a photocopier and also donated a set of agricultural tools.   BFOV member and Vila resident, Sue Baereleo, made the presentations on behalf of the UK charity.  The ceremony was witnessed by the student body, the Principal and a number of staff.  In October 2006 a further donation of £2,500 was received by the trust from the sponsors and project proposals and estimates will be prepared by the BFOV-VITE for approval and implementation in 2007.

The Richard Dorman Award
The trust donates an award of £500 annually to mark the commitment to improving education in Vanuatu by Richard Dorman CBE during his 14 year period of office as chair of the British Friends of Vanuatu (For more detailed information about education in Vanuatu, click here).  The award is made in recognition of academic excellence and was shared this year by students in the anglophone and francophone sections of the college.  The photograph shows francophone student, Féliane Rose, receiving her Richard Dorman award from the Principal of the Teacher Training College.

St Patricks College, Vureas

 In 2006 the charity supported two talented young students at their college on the Island of Ambae in the north of Vanuatu.  Both students worked hard and gained excellent results in their end of year examinations. In December 2006 the sum of £670 was sent to St Patrick’s College, Vureas, on the island of Ambae to fund continuing support for Bob Rocka Pantantun (Year 12 boarder) and Silas Hawa (Year 11 boarder) in the 2006 academic year. The funds were presented to the college by BFOV members and trustees of the charity Roger and Judy Craddock, in the course of a return visit to Vanuatu. We are most grateful to Fiona Willans, late of Vureas and now back in the UK, and to Roger and Judy Craddock, for the arrangements made to bring the 2006 Vureas sponsorship to a successful conclusion.  Both students continue to work very hard and are gaining high performance marks.  Both Silas and Bob will be returning to Vureas college in 2007 and sponsorship will be maintained.

Librarian Scholarships - Vanuatu National Library
June Norman is the counterpart Chief Librarian at the National Library of Vanuatu. First nominated in 2005 by Anne Naupa, BFOV member and the Chief Librarian at the National Library, June has demonstrated a dedication and commitment to work and study that has been outstanding.  In January 2007 June received the award for the best Distance and Flexible Learning student at the University of the South Pacific (USP) for the past two years(2005 & 2006).  In the last semester of 2006 June studied two separate courses, one of which was an English course and the other an Information Science course. June says that  "in the future I hope to continue degree studies and apply for a post graduate in Library and information Science......that is my dream!"
 

BOOK DONATIONS A number of book donations projects are being planned, the largest of which is the donation of books funded jointly by the BFOV and the Orr-Mackintosh Foundation. The Orr-Mackintosh foundation generously donated £1000 to the new charity and the trustees earmarked these funds for books for the Malapoa College Library.  

Vocational Training -- The Santo Cattle Project

It is unusual for the British Friends of Vanuatu to support causes in Vanuatu other than education related needs.  An appeal for assistance with the costs of vocational training was received and granted by the trustees in 2006.  A jointly funded project (£500 was also donated by BFOV member and Port Vila resident Mr Robert Bohn) this vocational training project was aimed at increasing ni-Vanuatu participation in the Santo cattle trade.

The Santo Cattle Project, is managed jointly by BFOV member, Peter Robinson, and
Sanma Livestock officer Mara William. The Australian Business Volunteers organisation is sponsoring Peter's assignment to continue the development of support services to local farmers. The work has included the setting up of awareness meetings, field days and village training courses, as well as the production and distribution of information and educational materials. The following results have been recorded:

- awareness meetings have been held in 27 villages from South Santo to Port Olry.
- training courses have been held in 21 different locations with attendances ranging from 20 to 50 farmers at each course.
- training booklets and educational sheets (subsidised by the BFOV) have been produced and more than 1,500 so far distributed. This aspect of the scheme is seen as being so successful that the French Embassy has now offered to fund an expansion of the programme.

In the period July-October 2006, Santo Abattoir records show an increase of 20% in the through-put of top quality steers compared with the same period in 2005.

(Photograph:  Peter Robinson (Back Row R) and Mara William (Back Row Centre L)

The above photo was taken during a visit to one of the most progressive cattle raising areas in Santo, at Whitegrass near the Jordan River. The local adults featured are some of those who walked 67 cattle for 3 days from Big Bay to Vanafo without losing one.