Secondary School Building at Nakawuka
To date we have completed plans and permits, and built one large two story building to lock up stage. Completion of this building includes electricals, fit out of bathrooms, final finish and furniture.
Once the first building is completed, we would have 8 large rooms plus 4 separate bathroom areas (toilets and showers). Initial room use could be:
Two dormitories
Two laboratory classrooms
Three general classrooms
One office.
The second building will have the same footprint as the first, but initially will only be a single floor (additional floors can be built as and when the school has the opportunity to expand, to cater for more pupils). The four rooms in this building will initially be used as dormitories, classroom, and kitchen (the kitchen will also be used for catering classes, catering being one of the electives in the syllabus).
All this is required before we can admit the first students. The school would be started with the two junior years of pupils (senior 1 and senior 2). (Due to the number of specialist teachers required at secondary level, it is best that two years are admitted at once). The initial senior 2 students will mainly come from students who are sponsored and have completed S1 at other schools; they are likely to be boarders.
The budget for completion of building to the stage where we can start the school is a bit over A$200,000. We need more donations to complete this work.
The Great Dunny Drive (Completed)
The Life Care school was initially a group of wooden huts, which were gradually replaced by solid brick classrooms, kitchen and office, as funds permitted. But the toilet facilities were still only two pit latrines, which were inadequate for the 100 pupils and staff they had at that time. Upgrading the system was complicated as there is no mains water supply or sewage available at the site, water is supplied from a piped spring. Fundraising in the southern highlands of NSW raised over $10,000, with donations from individuals, a local church and Christian school. These funds were used to complete a substantial tiled toilet block, with flushing toilets, septic system and pump and a header tank.
These facilities made a lot of difference to the children’s lives. Many had to be taught how to use the flushing toilets, an important life skill, as they were only familiar with latrines at home. Their health and school attendance improved. So much outcome for relatively limited funding.