SARIRI VILLAGE PROJECT 2015 - PRELIMINARY REPORT

Posted by Tony Austin 
 

Background to the project

In November 2007 Oro Province in Papua New Guinea suffered extensive flooding, loss of life and property damage during Cyclone Guba. One of the many villages in Oro Province that were devastated by the cyclone was Sariri. Subsequent to the disaster Elijah Sarigari, a former teacher and one of the community leaders of Oro Province, made contact with his former PNG school Principal, Reverend Donald Johnstone, who was living in Geelong at the time of the disaster, seeking help.  Reverend Johnstone in turn contacted Anton Van  Doornik of the Rotary Club of Geelong.  Both Reverend Johnstone and Anton went to Sariri and it was agreed that assistance in rebuilding could be provided. Since then there have been Rotary teams working at Sariri Village in 2011, 2013 and 2015.
 
The 2015 Sariri Project
 
On March 28 a container of materials, equipment and donations for the 2015 Sariri project left Australia for Oro Province, PNG.
The 2015 project team was scheduled to leave Australia on 11 May however due to the container arriving late this had to be postponed; the container arrived at Oro Bay late May.
The 2015 project team was finally able to depart Australia on 31 May and returned 13 June.
 
The Team
 
From left:
Tony Austin (Warrnambool Rotary Club)
Anton Van Doornik, Team leader (Geelong Rotary Club)
David Greaves (Barwon Water)
Ian Watson (Warrnambool Daybreak Rotary Club)
Chris Preston (Warrnambool Daybreak Rotary Club)
Isobel Van Doornik
 
Completed Scheduled Projects
  • Extend the underground water system by 1.5 kms
  • Fit 10 risers and taps to the water pipe extension
  • Extend the existing solar array from 4 to 6 panels
  • Upgrade the solar array control equipment
  • Clean the solar array panels
  • Install playground equipment
  • Set up toilets provided by Barwon Water
  • Replace front wheel hubs to the Village’s Toyota Landcruiser (the vehicle cannot cross the river hence it’s left on the opposite bank of river, 3kms away)
Completed Unscheduled Projects
  • Replace failed tank stand bearers (As a consequence of this failure there was no water storage in the village for 18 months forcing the villagers to walk 3 kms to a river for their water needs)
  • Replace a previously installed water tank (previous tank had failed)
  • Rebuild the tank stand deck for the replaced tank
  • Clean out and redesign the village well
  • Build and install bookshelves previously pre-fabricated
  • Repair the village chainsaw
  • Dismantle a village water hand pump and bring its parts back to Australia for repair
  • Showed villagers how to set up a house base (how to set up hurdles, basic geometry to ensure squareness, setting up string lines etc)

Preparing for the water pipe extension

First flow of the water

Stand pipes and taps fitted

Setting up the playground
 

Dismantling the water pump - now in Warrnambool for repairs

Cleaning the solar panel array
 
Where to from here
What is desperately needed by the Sariri people and other village communities and work that remains to be done will be included in a more comprehensive future presentation and report.