[Rotary] FOR BOARD APPROVAL: Action on Our Projects in Vanuatu and Fiji

Mon Jan 30 17:11:12 PST 2023

Dear Mendocino Rotarians,
As I announced at our last meeting, we have good news: our project in Fiji has been completed, and our project in Vanuatu has been completed except possibly for some final plastering and painting. The latter will be completed in time for visits by various Rotarians before the Rotary International Conference in Australia, and Matt's upcoming visit to Fiji, both in May. In both cases it has been a long haul, with a successful outcome, the product of collaboration with several clubs in both cases. 
We began working with the Victory School of Hope in Vanuatu following our visit there in May 2018, after which we provided funding for the school's first toilet block (2019) and a protective fence (June 2020). In both cases we worked in collaboration with other Rotary clubs in Katikati, Port Vila and nearby Fort Bragg. The total cost of the project is expected to be about $39,170 of which $34,035 has been provided by our three clubs, as recorded in the Port Vila Rotary club account which is attached. As shown there and in a table put together by myself the amounts provided to date are $15,236 from Mendocino, $4,300 from Fort Bragg and $14,499 from Katikati. There is on hand in the Port Vila Rotary account an amount of $2,860 unspent funds and in our Mendocino Rotary activities account an amount of $2,000 from Fort Bragg Rotary, also unspent. So there is a total amount of $4,860 in the Port Vila Rotary and Mendocino Rotary club accounts which is unspent. On the other side of the ledger there is an amount of $6,017 in bills which have been paid by the headmaster of the school, not paid yet by Port Vila Rotary. The amount needed to complete the project is therefore a minimum of $1,157 and could be higher, depending upon whether or not we fund the final plastering and painting. We are talking with Katikati, Port Vila and the school about what is required and how that can be shared. Katikati has said they may be able to provide up to about $1,000 but that remains to be decided. The leadership and support provided by both Katikati and Port Vila has been outstanding, as has the work done by the School. 
A photo of the almost-completed fence is attached. 
We began talking with Savusavu Rotary in March 2022 about a project they had already underway to construct the Urata Lookout, an income-producing project for the native community living in an area adjoining the town of Savusavu. The project, which had an original cost in excess of $50,000, has been funded by the US Embassy to the tune of $40,000, a raffle for $5,000, a gift of $5,000 from another donor and perhaps $9,000 or so from other sources. It has received help from an architectural team from England. In May 2021 Matt provided $900 of his own funds directly to Savusavu for the project. At the same time Toby and I donated $100 each for the project, both kept in our club account. 
Some recent correspondence and pictures of the completed lookout are below. As you can see, it has a solar panel on the roof, batteries for power storage and a electrical panel that controls the power to the various outlets including the water pump. They also have a small portable generator. The cost of the solar installation, which was done by Solar Fiji, was done on partial credit. Its cost was $10,000 of which $5,000 has been paid. 
As the project proceeded we and Savusavu Rotary were talking with Kathy Poole of Metropolitan Eugene, Oregon about sharing the remaining cost of $5,000. She has gotten approval from her Grant Committee for a grant of $2,000 and expects to get approval for that amount from her Board. She expects to raise the balance of $500 through individual contributions. 
Our club budget for International Service is $9,000 which included $5,000 for Vanuatu and $4,000 for Fiji. In our Board meeting of July 2022 we approved a grant of $5,500 for Vanuatu, which has been sent, and held off on funding for Fiji pending realization of funds from the golf tournament. We did very well with both the dine out raffle and golf tournament, and now as was discussed in our Board meeting in January have a projected service expense of $27,600 as compared to activities net income of $31,800, a substantial surplus.
It is now proposed for approval of the Board that we provide $2,500 for the Urata Lookout Project in Fiji, comprising $2,300 in club funds and $200 in the funds already provided by myself and Toby. If other club members would like to contribute, for either Fiji or Vanuatu, we can reduce the club funds needed even more. If this recommendation is approved, we will have committed $7,800 of club funding for both Fiji and Vanuatu.
It is also proposed for approval of the Board that we send the $2,000 already received from Fort Bragg Rotary for the school fence in Vanuatu to Port Vila Rotary through Katikati Rotary, as we have done before.
Over the next month of so we will be talking with our Rotary partners and the school about the project in Vanuatu, with the aim of completing the project this year.  A further recommendation will be made for funding the fence at that time.

These recommendations are submitted for approval of the Board at our meeting of January 2, 2023.

If you have any comments or questions, please let me know.
Jeff Stubbs, International Committee ChairRotary Club of Mendocino
P.O. Box 1360 Mendocino, CA 95460
Home phone 707-937-6026
I phone 707-536-6190
Skype phone 707-397-5620
Skype name jeffrystubbsBula Kathy and Jeff,
The solar installation was completed yesterday by Solar Fiji, who have graciously allowed us to pay off the amount owing as soon as we can.
We are looking forward to an opening within the next month, after some minor issues are completed.
Photo 1: Sunrise over the mountains when the Solar Fiji technician, Joni, arrived to start the installationPhoto 2: Drone view of roof before installationPhoto 3; Drone view after installation of solar panelsPhoto 4: Equipment and batteriesPhoto 5: Seremaia (Rotary President-Elect 2023), Judy and Joni (who did all the hard work!)
It has been a long haul, but we are almost there!
Kind regards,

From: KATHY POOLE <poole2895 at comcast.net>Sent: Friday, 20 January 2023 5:55 AM
To: judy cakacaka <jcakacaka at hotmail.com>; Jeffry Stubbs <jeffrystubbs at yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: New International Funding Request for Fiji Thanks, Judy!  We'll go to work raising the additional US $500 for the project. I look forward to getting to Fiji one day soon, too!

All the best, 

Kathy 

On 01/19/2023 10:54 AM judy cakacaka <jcakacaka at hotmail.com> wrote: 

Bula Kathy, 
Your calculations are correct! Besides the donations from your respective clubs, that you and Jeff hope to get approved by your boards, another US $500 is needed to cover all costs and to have the project fully completed.
Thank you for the work you are doing on our behalf. 
Kathy, we look forward to seeing you in Fiji soon! 
Kind regards, 
Judy 
From: KATHY POOLE <poole2895 at comcast.net>
Sent: Friday, 20 January 2023 3:31 AM
To: judy cakacaka <jcakacaka at hotmail.com>; Jeffry Stubbs <jeffrystubbs at yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: New International Funding Request for Fiji
Bula vinaka, Judy and Jeff, 

Judy, that's very exciting that you've secured another Fiji $10,000 US $5000) for the solar project! Wow, that's wonderful news, and so great to hear that the Solar Fiji group has agreed both to contribute to the project, AND reduce the price, and even start work on January 23...  Exciting, indeed. 

So if I'm reading both Jeff's and Judy's messages correctly, here's what I think we have close to secure for contributions from Mendocino and Eugene:
- US$ 2500 (Fiji $5000) proposed contribution from Mendocino Rotary Club
- US $2000 (Fiji $4000) proposed contribution from Eugene Metro Rotary Club
- US $5000 (Fiji $10,000) contribution from Savusavu Rotary family member
TOTAL COMMITTED:  US $9500 = FIJI $19,000 
REMAINING TOTAL NEEDED:  US $500 = Fiji $1000 

Do I read correctly that you will then be short only Fiji  $1000; US $500, Judy?  If that is correct, I would like to see if maybe Jeff and I can tap fellow Rotarians and friends to contribute the remaining $500.  Both Jeff and Toby Wade have made personal contributions of US$100 each (right?), and I will also make a personal contribution.  I may let folks in my club, and neighboring clubs, know that I will match whatever they contribute to get us to remaining US $500 to pay off the project.  

Please let me know if my math is anywhere close to correct - thanks, all!  And I hope to get to Fiji sometime soon to see this exciting project, and meet and greet all of you!

All the best, 

Kathy 

On 01/18/2023 2:23 PM judy cakacaka <jcakacaka at hotmail.com> wrote: 

Bula Kathy and Jeff, 
Thank you for the good news! 
We also have good news.....after our last Rotary meeting on 10 January, an overseas relative of a club member gave FJ $10,000 towards the project. This means we only need FJ $10,000 more (about US $5,000) to have all the money we require.
The company, Solar Fiji, will begin installation next Monday 23 January and has agreed to let us pay off the remaining amount as we receive additional donations. This requires significant trust on their part and they also reduced the cost of the solar system to FJ $26,000, in support of the project. 
With an additional FJ $10,000, we can pay off the solar system and have the project will be fully completed, including many small extras such as fire extinguishers, fire blanket, insurance, building a shed for the generator, and completing ground works etc. 
Many thanks in anticipation of your support for the solar project.
Judy

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