Fiji Rotahomes Truck Replacement
 

Purpose

To provide a large truck for Koroipita Rotary Town (Koroipita) to enable the commencement of Stage 3 of the town’s community development plan. This humanitarian project will enable the provision of housing for impoverished families and allow Koroipita to complete its community development plan of meeting an economic and community development need in Lautoka, Fiji.
 

Summary:

  1. Koroipita was created in 2003 to help provide housing for displaced, homeless and deserted Fijians and Indo Fijians near Lautoka on the western side of Viti Levu.
  2. There are 943 Rotahomes (231 in Koroipita with a population of 750). Rotary teams and other volunteers have constructed 709 of these homes.
  3. Prior to Cyclone Winston in February 2016, Koroipita had a waiting list of over 1,400 applications from families (6,300 people). The urgent need for housing has grown substantially following the effects of this category 5 cyclone.
  4. The current truck needs urgent replacement to enable the commencement of stage 3 of the Community Development Plan.
  5. A suitable replacement is unable to be sourced in Fiji and the expected cost to purchase near-new in NZ and ship to Fiji is approx. $50,000.
  6. The truck will receive ongoing maintenance onsite with the expectation it will last for another 20+ years.
  7. This proposal seeks financial support from Rotarians to make it happen.
Four donation options for Rotahomes replacement vehicle via RNZWCS Ltd
Quote Activity No. 006, and name of Rotary club or individual (for charitable receipt purposes)
1. Internet Banking 03 1702 0192208 01
2. Paypal at www.rnzwcs.org
4. Cheque to RNZWCS Limited (Rotary New Zealand), PO Box 20309, Christchurch 8543
 

Enquiries:

Bev Wells, Port Nicholson RC, D9940, Dep. Chair, RNZWCS Ltd email: bev.wells@xtra.co.nz, ph 021 569 249 or
Stuart Batty, Executive Director, RNZWCS Ltd email: stuart.batty@rnzwcs.org, ph 027 269 5615
Truck related: Darryl Ross, Port Nicholson RC, 9940 email: darrylross@clear.net.nz, ph 029 801 5515
 

What is needed?

Koroipita had a waiting list of over 1,400 applications from families (6,300 people) on file prior to Cyclone Winston in February 2016. The urgent need for housing has grown substantially following the effects of the category 5 cyclone.
 
There have been two trucks which have been used for the past 20+ years to transport building supplies but these have now reached the end of their useful life, the main truck clocking over 836,000kms. They have been reconditioned in the past and are now beyond repair with the flat deck unable to hold building materials of any substantial weight. Sourcing replacement parts is no longer an option available to maintain this essential vehicle.
 
A fully-functioning truck is a critical tool to the continuation of this sustainable housing development project. The poor state of the main truck is preventing progress of Stages 3 and 4 of the town development.
It is used 7 days a week for:
-   transporting men, materials to job sites spread our 2.5 kms at Koroipita….all day
-   collecting new families being admitted to Koroipita, from the hills and coast.
-   picking up materials e.g. timber, posts steel from suppliers in city.
-   emergency runs - hospital etc. 
 
New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade through its NZ Aid programme has provided 100% support to Koroipita, however, this excludes the purchase of vehicles.
 
Koroipita has determined that the replacement truck needs to be a Mitsubishi 3 tonne (min.) steel flat deck, double-cab, new or near-new. Parts for Mitsubishi are readily available on the island although the plan to purchase a near-new truck will extend the life and use of the truck. Fiji’s import requirements stipulate that vehicle imports must be less than five years old.
 
Peter has been unable to find a suitable truck in Fiji. We plan to purchase a suitable truck in NZ and arrange de-registration before shipping to Suva. We would aim to arrange quarantine/ customs clearances and transportation to Fiji through RNZWCS Limited logistics and government contacts for a cost-effective transportation arrangement by either roll on/roll off method or within a container.  On arrival in Fiji, any clearance charges e.g. customs duty or taxes will be met locally.
 

Background:

Rotahomes began in the 1980s to replace the continual distribution of temporary shelters (tents) to cyclone-devastated families. The Rotahome is a two-roomed, timber-framed and steel clad home, including a kitchen/shower, toilet block and wood-burning stove. The design, construction materials and building quality of the individual houses have proven sustainable through the worst hurricanes.
 
About Koroipita Rotary Town
Koroipita was created by Peter Drysdale in 2003 to provide low-cost, cyclone-proof housing for impoverished families living in the local hillsides surrounding Lautoka under temporary, sub-standard shelters. The homes provide mothers and children with better living and health conditions, and access to schooling and employment opportunities. Koroipita also provides a comprehensive community development programme for its residents.
 
The town is being developed in four stages:
 
Stage 1 (K1) – 85 homes built [completed]
Stage 2 (K2) – 150 homes built, installation of a permanent sewerage treatment system, kindergarten, large self-funding events hall, all-weather bus and marketplace shelter, cyclone-strengthening of K1 homes [completed]
Stages 3 and 4 (K3 and K4) more complex community development work and due for commencement –  further homes, land development for irrigated agriculture and other income-generating projects such as honey production, firewood plantation, light industrial park, sports court, soccer field, clinic, botanical zone.
This is a highly successful model town for homeless Fijians which Rotary NZ has been closely involved with for over 30 years. They now have trained tradesmen from within the townspeople who are employed onsite, but need a replacement truck to enable them to continue to the next stage of development and finish the project.
The Koroipita project is formally administered by the Board of the Koroipita Model Town Charitable Trust. Initially, seed funding was received from Rotary Clubs in Australia. New Zealand Aid has provided continuing budgeted funding to Koroipita for house materials, staff and community wages, septic/sewerage, roads and a major focus on community development. NZ Aid funding comes with the proviso that the project achieves a sustainable outcome. The continued funding from the NZ Government is testament to Koroipita achieving this.
 

 

The community

The residents vary and consist of a large pool of former squatters, widows, abandoned single mothers, the elderly and nomads. They are interviewed and strict rules apply for conduct within the compound.
A Community Development Team (funded by the NZ Aid Programme) was established to ensure families were housed in manageable groups of about 25-30 to allow each new family to gain thorough orientation training. Each new group have mentors enlisted from longer term residents living at K1 to assist them to learn about the community facilities and training programmes that are available to them.
 
All residents are required to grow their own vegetables and have the opportunity to sell or trade their produce under a marketplace shelter during the weekends. Home rental is set at FJD$1 per day. Educational and vocational programmes are in place, including computer classes and a small sewing business for a few women who have learnt to sew. About 300 children attend two kindergartens onsite.
 
A workshop onsite enables the basic metal frames and walls of the homes to be built. A number of residents have been trained in the trades to carry out the building, carpentry and maintenance work at Koroipita. A local bus passes by the village to take residents to and from work.
 
The model and ethos of Koroipita is to achieve a sustainable outcome. The Koroipita Trust and all funding partners, including Rotary, understand how essential it is that these fragile families are given a “hand up” to ensure their children are educated, the parents learn to generate sufficient income to create a better and healthier life for their families, and ultimately feel confident that they can manage their own affairs.
The Koropita Housing Community is a proven multi-decade project with outstanding results already delivered over two decades from incomes to school progress, health and general family advancement. There is high confidence that these benefits will continue for decades to come.
 
We need your support so that the Rotahomes project can be completed!