BAVA Village preparatory children’s hope of having classes in their village in North Vella La Vella fades as their much-anticipated classroom building project stops due to lack of materials and financial support.
Bava Village is on Bava, an island between Rannogah and North Vella La Vella in Western Province.
According to the village Seventh Day Adventist Church Minister Lynroll Willie, construction of the classroom building for the preparatory children started in 2018 by Newton Leu with the help of some men in Bava Village.
Pastor Willie said Mr. Leu took the initiative after witnessing the suffering and struggle of Bava children who have to travel 2 kilometers daily to attend classes at Supato Village.
“Currently school children have to paddle across the gulf to the mainland Vella at Supato Village to attend class and after class, they will paddle back.
“The school children are doing this for their lifetime, therefore they want schools to be built at Bava Island for the safety of the kids,” a concerned Pastor Willie said.
He said when the weather is not favorable, the school children will be absent from their classes and this affected their learning.
He said if the weather is bad for a week, the children will also be absent from classes for that whole week.
Therefore, he called on all people and responsible authorities around the Solomon Islands to help complete the Bava pre-school building project.
“After so many years without a school, 2018 is the first try to build this pre-school but without support, the school remains incomplete,” he said.
Pastor Willie was posted by the church to the island community only recently.
He said Bava Islands is one area that lacks health and education services as well as other essential services so it is time something is done to help the island community.
People of Bava had to travel to the clinics at Supato Village and Koriovuku Village in Rannogah when they are sick.
Pastor Willie said traveling to these clinics is good when the weather is fine, but when the weather is unfavorable it is like “suicide” going to clinics.
He said the population of Bava is increasing every year and responsible authorities must support such a community with government essential services like health and education.
“When other families or individuals can’t go to the neighboring clinics they just treat themselves with herbal medicine.
“Sometimes the herbal medicines cure their illnesses, sometimes not, but that’s how desperate the people are,” he said.
By LACHLAN EDDIE
HONIARA NEWSROOM
