GIFU Primary School at Barana Village, North East Guadalcanal has received a timely donation of five water tanks, Friday.
The tanks were donated by the ‘The church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saint’ through their Humanitarian Project.
Speaking at the handing over ceremony was the Head teacher of the school, Ms Bernadette Dani.
Dani said the donation was timely and comes as a miracle for the school because water for drinking at Gifu Primary School is hard to collect.
They have to travel a kilometer down the valley and into the forest to collect drinking water.
She describes the ‘The church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saint’ as the good Samaritan to the school.
The denial of water has caused problem at the school with regards to drinking water and sanitation.
“The problem in this school is water, school staff and students have to walk about a kilometer into the forest and collect water for drinking,” she said.
This is same for the community here at Barana.
The first well at Barana which adjacent to the school was dug in 1993 during drought caused by six month of dry season experienced throughout the country.
Gifu Primary School was built in 1995, three years after the biggest dry season that hits the community.
Dani said the well is not far from the school however, it is only used for bathing and washing.
“It is not used for drinking.”
Elder Mike and sister Trisah from ‘The church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saint one upon a time visit the school, consulted teachers and school committee and queried about the urgent need for the school.
Dani said the school answered them that the most urgent need of the school was water.
On their next visit to the school they told the school that the projects for the tanks were approved.
The tanks were delivered to the school last year and the people of Barana village helped install the tanks.
And the handing over ceremony from ‘The church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saint’ to Gifu Primary School was done yesterday.
At the occasion, the people of Barana community come in numbers to witness the milestone ceremony.
The church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saint has done a similar project at Kobitu community, where they also provide them with water tanks.
According to members of the Church, the humanitarian project is only for those in need of support like the Gifu Primary School in need of drinking water.
President Adolf Johansson thanks Elder and Sister Goodwin for supporting people in Solomon Islands on such important project.
Johansson said he wants to thank other organization that came first before them to build classes and donated first batch of tanks to the school.
“I would like to thank those who come and give humanitarian and charity to you before we came,” he said.
He said he has seen a lot of development in the school and they want to add on it.
Johansson pointed out that they are not the only humanitarian group to be acknowledge but others who support the school earlier they come.
Johansson looks at the children and they’re delightful and they love to see their faces.
The humanitarian group of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saint was happy to see the tanks and guttering and beautiful school.
Meanwhile, Johansson told the students and the parents to love Jesus Christ. He said when we are in trouble; we need to pray to Jesus Christ to help us.
“We bring the tanks but Jesus Christ brings the rain that will filled the tanks,” he said.
Johansson encouraged all students, staff and parents to live a commandment of God in your areas.
By LACHLAN S. EDDIE
