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ROTAHOMES   Koroipita,    Lautoka Fiji

The Rotahomes project is a Rotary World Community Service (RAWCS) supported project, number 28-2005 - 6 .It is an on-going project to built low cost housing The first town (K1) has 85 homes. K2 will involve the construction of 150 simple, timber framed and steel clad homes each with a kitchen/shower, toilet block for displaced families

Download a handbook for Volunteers working on this Fiji Project. (large pdf file 3M)

FIJI 3H GRANT UPDATE – K2 START February 2010

PDG Lew Pretorius has just returned from Koroipita village, Lautoka, Fiji where he attended the 3rd Governance Board Meeting for the K2 project. He has pleasure in advising that the bulldozer has at last moved in and the road into the new K2 village and the first few house lots have been cleared ready for works to begin.

NZAID funding for the first stage, and additional funding from the Fiji Government together with the 3H funds which were lodged in the bank by R.I. in 2007 has enabled the engineer John Yaldennew road to obtain all the necessary approvals to allow work to begin on the infrastructure for the next 161 homes and associated community buildings.

 

This photo shows the road being built approaching the K2 area.

 

The board meeting was attended by representatives from NZAID, Fiji Government, R.C. Lautoka and PDG Lew representing Rotary District 9830 and Rotary International (3H grant funds). It was pleasing to learn from the meeting that the Fiji Government has committed additional funds on an annual basis to assist with wages to complement those of NZAID. This ensures that two local community development officers can now be employed to assist villagers towards eventually controlling their own destiny. They will also assist new residents who will move into the Rotary and other volunteer built homes to integrate harmoniously with the existing residents of K1.

The Fiji Government support is as a direct result of viewing what Rotary volunteers and Rotary International have achieved at K1. The Government feels that this Rotary model can be replicated around Fiji to address the burgeoning homeless problem along with the associated problems of poor health, diet, education and clean water.

Tasmanian Rotarians have played a huge part in the past with this project. Pro-rata they have provided a large proportion of the volunteers in the past and PDG Lew is delighted to see that teams are preparing to go again this year to help with the start up. Well done D9830!

Reported by PDG Lew Pretorius – D9830 Grants Chair and Chair 3H Grant International Partner committee.

See more photos

Previous reports on the project

November 2009 - a personal update of the project, from a young volunteer working in Fiji. (Courtesy District 9790)

29 July 2009 - Announcement of NZAID Support for K2 Village Press release here

View the previous dispatches from Peter Drysdale the Project Manager in Fiji

 

SIGNING OF MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT.

 On Tuesday 20th May 2008 , PDG Lew Pretorius District 9830 Chairman for the International Partner committee for the 3H grant from Rotary International was asked to witness the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement in regard to the formal lease to Rotary from the Fiji Government for the Rotahome Koroipita villages.

Peter Drysdale, Chairman of the 3H Grant Host Partner committee and Willie Heywood, the Incoming President of The Rotary Club of Lautoka, signed on behalf of the Rotary Club of Lautoka. Alec atiaki, the Director of Housing in the Ministry of Social Welfare and Ms Litia Mawi, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government, Urban Development and Housing, signed on behalf of the Fiji Government.

This formalizes a verbal promise made to the Rotary Club of Lautoka by the Fiji Government at the time of applying for the 3H grant. The signing of the legal documents for a 99 year lease means existing and potential residents can now feel secure in regard to their homes for as long as they reside at Koroipita, Lautoka. This  was a big week:  visit to Koroipita by  World RI President D. K. Lee and District 9830 3H grant Monitor PDG Lew Pretorius -  and it's Rotary Club of Lautoka 50th Anniversary

 K1 subdivision (top picture )

The bottom picture shows the outline of the planned K2 settlement

Note dates mentioned above have not been recently updated. Please read in conjunction with the latest despatches listed above.

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