13th August, 2021 Reverend Samisoni Tuiaki, the Church Minister of the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga at Fasimoeafi, blessed the new Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) facility for GMS Fasimoeafi.
The facility is fully tiled. and provides: a shower and three toilet cubicles for females; and a shower, 2 toilet cubicles, and a urinal for males. It also provides for the disabled.
There is a Service Room at the back where all light switches are; water cisterns; and a water pump to maintain good water pressure. There are also two water tanks: 1 is for rainwater storage, which supplements the other tank with ground water to maintain the supply of water for the facility. Accessing the service room are teachers only.
This construction is under the Pacific Resilience Program (PREP) project led by the Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment Climate Change and Communications (MEIDECC) with the collaborative support of the Ministry of Education and Training; Ministry of Finance and National Planning; Ministry of Land and Natural Resources; and the Ministry of Infrastructure. The Program is co-funded by the World Bank and the Australian Government at USD$33.89. It aims at contributing to the resilient and sustainable economic and social development of Tonga through strengthening: early warning; resilient investment; and financial protection.
The PREP project includes reconstruction and repair/retrofit of school buildings that were damaged by TC Gita which hit Tonga and ‘Eua in February 2018, which also includes the construction of the WASH facilities at TOP$28 million. There are 21 WASH facilities: 2 in Vava’u; 2 in ‘Eua and 17 in Tongatapu. Cardno, an Australian Design and Supervision Firm, designed and supervised all constructions. The construction was done by the Puloka Construction Limited at a cost of TOP$238,663.00.
The Deputy Principal, Mr. ‘Isiposeti Kata, was the Master of Ceremony welcomed the guests and thanked the World Bank and the Government of Australia for their generosity, and to the supporting Ministries for their support.
A brief overview was presented by Dr. ‘Elina Kaufusi Bloomfield and reported that, “This is the most expensive WASH facility and one of its kind in the schools in Tonga. It aims at improving hygiene in schools, thus creating a clean, inspiring, and positive learning atmosphere that our children will enjoy.”
Mr. Hēpeti Tākeifanga from the Ministry of Education, delivered the vote of thanks.
Mr. Matani Puloka from the Puloka Construction Limited; Mr. Saipalesi Unu from the Ministry of Education; parents; teachers and students of GMS Fasimoeafi were at the occasion to mark this milestone.
ENDS
For further information contact: ‘Elina Kaufusi Bloomfield, t: (676) 23-160, e: elinakb1466@yahoo.com.au ; PREP Project Management Unit (PMU); Level 4, OG Sanft Building, MEIDECC
