Last week Papamoa Rotarian, Past District Governor Geoff Mathis visited the Laketatu Orphanage at UsaRiver.
This Orphanage was initiated by Godlisten Kaaya some five years ago. Godlisten himself was a street kid for the first eight years of his life and from there went into an orphan home until a 14yr old, where he had to sit the national examinations which determined whether a child could go to higher education or into the work force. He finished up in the workforce making concrete blocks for three years.
From there he, as an adult, was able to get to university and achieved a double degree but was not successful in getting his first-choice job as a schoolteacher, so after being tapped on the shoulder, he was funded to go to a Safari school for 12mths and has since become the first choice safari driver for the company he currently works for.
He has a small house and two cows (with his one cow in milk producing 25ltrs of milk a day) which he sells within his small community. BUT the twist to all this is this…… From the tips he was able to generate, he generously gave to Mama KuKu (Faye Cran, a leader in Rotary and the community). In those first two years preceding the world lockdown of Covid 19, Godlisten had saved sufficient monies to purchase 4 acres of land on the outskirts of Usa River for the sole purpose of setting up an Orphanage. Laketatu. A Charitable Trust is in place to administer the complex and the day-to-day operations.
With the support for Mama KuKu and with the majority of funding coming from NZ Rotary clubs and Friends of Rotary, that dream has almost been completed. The Rotary International Rotary Foundation has also assisted in funding of the construction phase, with financial assistance of the day-to-day funding coming from Canada Aid, albeit that funding has now dried up.
Where are we today……….? 12 dormitories have now been funded and completed (48 beds) with construction of the final leg of another 12 dormitories, probably 30% progressed, (with a slow funding uptake for the last leg). NZD 4,000 will support the completion of a 4-bed dorm with separate shower/toilet bathroom and small storage area. Kitchen, storeroom, dining room, sewing room, two after school hours classrooms, boy’s tech room and another general use room already completed.
On the perimeter of this complex there are buildings funded by Rotary Foundation and some private money, with 3500 laying hens and roosters for egg hatching for a broiler chicken enterprise. Three cows for milk production, pigs, goats and rabbits for meat for the children. A biogas digester is installed supplying gas for the kitchen cooking needs. Bananas have been planted and the surplus land is planted in rice, similar to the adjoining rice fields.
The children go to two local schools, primary and secondary only 400mtrs away and come back to their “home” after school hours where they all play a role in keeping the orphanage running. They have an overall manager in Kinai for the children and Albert as the livestock manager. Where possible they do try and integrate children back with their families even if it means paying school fees and a supply of clothing, but that is not always possible. Recently, a mother dropped three youngsters at their doorstep and walked away. Kinai just had to take them in, even with not all buildings completed.
A wonderful story of the drive of one individual in Godlisten following his heart and creating a special home for approximately 100 children and support staff.
You, if you are so inclined, can support the completion of the project to whatever extent you wish. A dormitory costs NZD4,000 (that’s beds for 4 children), small dollar amounts to assist in the rehoming of some children back with their families. The call is yours.
RNZWCS Ltd (a Charitable Trust with tax rebate status) is the conduit to which this funding goes. Stuart Batty being the contact person stuartbatty@a3.net.nz
Geoff Mathis (Rotary Papamoa and a Past District Governor)
