Friday 24 October 2014

The Final slide show.

Chief Chilly the RAWCS Project leader in Tonga has put together a PowerPoint presentation of the project.  This can be viewed by following the link below and downloading the presentation.


RAWCS 2014 Tonga Slide Presentation

Saturday 4 October 2014

Day 12 - relaxing and kicking back

Paul (Robey) and Bill took the opportunity for some relaxing kayaking

Bill relaxed a little more than Paul who seems to be pulling the boat along (a bit like being President of Rotary)

Bill finally lets Paul climb aboard

Oops there seems to be a problem with coordination of the paddles

Tony took the safer option and got a Kayak all to himself

Others went fishing - view from the fishing club before setting off

The boat on the right is ours and ready to go

Vicki and Grant get comfortable as we head out to the deep sea past the reef

Geoff is also relaxed behind Lavinda our driver

Paul (Roger) sits back and enjoys the trip. Nuku'alofa can be seen in the distant backgound

Our hooks and lures are ready to go.  Unfortunately they stayed in this condition throughout the trip

A view of the reef. It was like a washing machine. this photo does not do it justice, sometime the waves and spray went a few metres high as the two seas crashed together
The two weeks of hard work finally caught up with Grant

Other team members went shopping and hit the local markets

Market day is Saturday and a busy day it is too.

A local bbq stall at the markets




Phtos Day 11 - the formal handover and presentations.



The team enjoyed another superb lunch of local food in the lead up to the formalities. How smart do we look in our RAWCS polo shirt and our Tongan sarongs

Some of the children preparing for the student presentations.  This is the family of the Chairman of the PTA who was such a great help with the project using his carpentry skills.
Sue and Paul modelling the formal outfit.


The team in all its glory pictured with the school principal (centre) and the deputy principal (second left front row)

Chilly receiving a thank you gift from one of the students

We all received individual gifts - Grant is shown here gratefully accepting his.

'Chief Chilly' giving his reply to the School's thank you. 
Note - as 'chief' Chilly had some additional items of dress to mark his stature.

Only performed by females, the girls of the school present a special series of songs with lovely hand movements

During the songs one of the Mum's got Grant up for a dance.

At the end of the dance Grant is escorted back to his seat by two Mum's

The boys performing their item, which was very moving with excellent chorography

This little fellow was only a beginner, but he really got into it.

The team look on as the entertainment proceeds

The team with a selection of the teachers

Chilly with the PTA president and his family

The Deputy Principal with the Bendigo Bank balls we presented

The Deputy Principal receiving the letters from Students from a Queanbeyan School

Happiness with the bubble wands - a big hit.

A close up of the girl students performance

Please will some take a picture with my camera pleads Sandra

OK there you go.


Friday 3 October 2014

Day 11 - all done and dusted

Seems that someone got the measurements wrong.  Didn't they Terry

A newly refreshed store room

view of the corridor with all the nice new classroom doors and security mesh.

Close up view of the front classroom windows

The refreshed principal's office

View of the back of the classroom block showing the new doors and windows

view of the new louvres

Vicki found a few last minute things to touch up

Bill and Paul installing the last louvre. Yeah !

One of the classrooms ready to hand over. Note there is still plenty that can be done to improve the school including furniture.  But that will be Phase 3.

Another view of a finished classroom

Day 10 photos final tasks

Mitch (aka Fiddler on the Roof) fixing a hole in the roof that we discovered when it rained on Wednesday morning  

Soana's  (PTA Chairperson) wife baked us a couple of cakes to enjoy for our morning tea on the last full day of work. Grant was first in having not been satisfied with his pizza.

Terry doing some final touching up.

Chilly doing some final budget work which later ran past Grant (the accountant) and gained approval of his spread sheet.

We needed waist measurements for our Sarongs, Pam quickly volunteered to measure up Grant