SUPPORTING EDUCATION & HEALTH IN RURAL VANUATU
Welcome to our website.
The Butterfly Trust works alongside communities in rural Vanuatu to improve their access to health care and education.
We have been doing this work since 2009 in partnership with many people and organisations. You will see some of them on this website.
We have a Memorandum of Understanding with the Vanuatu Ministries of Health and Education authorising our work in Vanuatu.
We also operate in close collaboration with other NGOs to avoid duplication of resources and programmes.
Our focus has initially been on the south and southeast of the island of Malekula, but, as the Trust grows, the next two years are likely to see us working further afield as well. The Trust currently has projects on Tongoa and Ambae.
We are very grateful to everyone who helps us make this work possible. If you would like to join our community, please get in touch. We would love to hear from you.
CYCLONE PAM
On 13 March 2015, category 5 Cyclone Pam tore through Vanuatu leaving widespread destruction and damage. Since then the Butterfly Trust has been working hard to assist with the relief effort and put in place programmes for longer term recovery.
The Trust’s strategy is to assist in the relief work wherever possible, but also to maintain its focus on the long-term objective of providing access to education and health services.
To achieve this, the Trust has been working very closely with the international relief effort and the Vanuatu government. There is a coordinated effort going on which is overseen by the government. The NGOs gather into groups called “clusters” which work on specific areas of need. The Trust has been working with separate clusters for food security and agriculture (FSAC), water and sanitation (WASH), shelter, education, health, and infrastructure.
We have had a wonderful response to our call for funds to assist in the relief work. We are incredibly grateful for all the support and encouragement you have given, form all over the world. It is amazing. Thank you so much for thinking about the small island nation of Vanuatu which has been devastated by the cyclone. The people here are very resilient and are showing great heart in picking up the pieces of their lives, but it makes it a lot easier for them to know that people like you, actually care for them.
Read more in the latest update.
DONATE NOW
You can donate via givealittle.co.nz
OR
Donate to the Trust’s Bank account
Account number: ASB 12-3233-0464934-50
Sort Code: ASB BNZ 2A
Address: Ground Floor, Botany Town Centre, 588 Chapel Road, East Tamaki, Auckland, New Zealand
100% of your donations goes into projects.
ENHANCING CHILDREN’S FUTURES THROUGH ACCESS TO
BASIC EDUCATION
Supporting small village schools improve facilities are a means to a better education. Namaru Primary School has 6 classrooms. The Trust is working towards supplying solar power for each classroom. Learn more
Jack Kallan is 14 years old and wants to become a doctor one day. He was one of 28 pupils in the Year 8 class of Sangalai Centre School who received a school fee subsidy from the Butterfly Trust. Families in the Maskelynes recognise the value of a good education and struggle to find enough funds to pay the high cost of fees. The Butterfly Trust supports the entire class of primary school leavers each year so they can attend secondary school. Read more
INCOME GENERATION THROUGH VOCATIONAL TRAINING COURSES
In 2011, the topic was generators and solar power installations. The Trust, with the expertise of volunteer Brian Basura, successfully ran an intensive workshop at the Uliveo Builders’ Workshop in Peskarus. Representatives from each of the villages attended, gaining both theory and practical knowledge which they were able to apply immediately. Learn more
IMPROVING PRIMARY HEALTHCARE DELIVERY WITH MORE TRAINING
A shortage of trained medical personnel, ageing workforce, poor access to health services in remote villages and the high cost of training courses means that Vanuatu still lags behind in its primary health status. The Trust, with the assistance of volunteer GPs from New Zealand and Australia are looking at long term measures to strengthen health services in the Maskelynes. Read more
Our Philosophies
Pikanini blong Maskelyne
“Children from the Maskelynes”
Visit our Media page for more video footage.
ON BOARD RIREANA
Transport around Vanuatu’s 83 islands is very costly for many ni-Vans. Here, Head teacher Mr Benson Tangou and fellow teacher, Mr Ivan hitch a ride on Rireana to Port Vila to purchase supplies for the school.
We use our yacht as a base for the work of the Butterfly Trust.
Browse our Sailing Log for more.
Help with transporting donated items to the Maskelynes.
TRUST FORMS PARTNERSHIP WITH AUCKLAND CITY FOOTBALL CLUB
The Trust is proud to announce its partnership with the Auckland City Football Club (ACFC). This follows a successful raffle ticket fundraiser held at ACFC’s premises during an ASB Premiership Super City derby against the Waitakere United team on February 4 2012. The Auckland City team has played against several Vanuatu teams (Tafea, Port Vila Sharks and Amicale) in the annual Oceania League since 2007. ACFC has also agreed to donate training equipment and gear to the Trust on behalf of communities in Vanuatu. Read the full story by Auckland City’s Media Manager, Gordon Glen Watson at ACFC’s official website. Visit our Trust News section for more.
2013 Programme Overview
Medical and Dental
This year the Butterfly Trust will be continuing its programme of providing doctors to south Malekula. In addition, we have two dentists and two dental therapists who are volunteering their time for two weeks in July. As in previous years, the emphasis will be on training local health workers so that a legacy of skills is left behind.
Education
The Butterfly Trust will be continuing its programme of sponsoring children from the Maskelyne Islands to secondary school. The Trust is also intending to build a solar power installation at Namaru Primary School in the Maskelyne Islands to power lights, a computer, printer and photocopier.
Strategy and Sustainability
The Butterfly Trust is very concerned to make sure that its programmes provide a ‘hand-up’ and are not a ‘hand-out’. It is equally concerned that its work is sustainable. Consequently, in 2013 the Trust is carrying out reviews of both its medical programme, and its education programme, to ensure that its work is properly focused and actually achieving what it sets out to do.
The reviews are being undertaken by two of our advisory trustees, Christine Edwards and Michael White, each of whom has a wealth of experience and knowledge in their chosen fields. Christine, who is undertaking the medical review, will be assisted by Professor Luke Larkin of the Auckland Medical School. Luke has a lot of experience working in Africa, South America and the Caribbean. Prior to coming to Auckland he was Professor of Emergency Medicine at Yale University in the United States.
