Jones Adventist Academy (Solomon Islands) is facing a severe water shortage after loggers destroyed a dam on a neighbouring property.
Brett and Christine Partridge, members of Kellyville Adventist Church (Sydney, NSW), discovered this dire need while visiting the isolated Adventist secondary school with Hills Adventist College students in October.
The school, located on the top end of Vella Vella Island, relied on the dam to supply all the school’s drinking and washing water for 450 young people. After the first dam was destroyed, teachers built a makeshift dam, but recent heavy rains created a landslide that destroyed the new dam.
“We have taken first action to install a diesel pump to pump grey water from a spring for all ablutions and washing,” said Mr Partridge. “Because there is plenty of rain we need to install tanks ASAP. We are unable to transport materials to the Solomons until after Christmas so the best solution is to raise funds to purchase tanks and guttering from Gizo or Honiara.”
They are hoping to provide 20 x 3000L tanks, and guttering. The tanks cost $A750 each and the guttering will be around $A5000.
Although there is no budget available, ADRA has opened an account to help with this project.
“If you can provide an early Christmas present to a school with a great basic need it will mean so much to students and staff in this remote high school,” said Mr Partridge, who is supporting the school through the Solomons Education fund. “You may not get any great thanks for your gift but you will have given to some desperate staff and students in need of drinking water.”
ADRA will provide tax-deductible receipts. To support the project, contact Kylie Humble at ADRA Australia.
