**UPDATE**

I have returned from volunteering and I was so proud to personally deliver the first shipment of books to this wonderful school community! Both the school and I are incredibly grateful for all the support and donations we've received. During my two weeks with the grade 6 class, I witnessed such a positive engagement with an assortment of books, with students gravitating towards a range of fiction and nonfiction books. Plenty of new words were discovered, new topics of interest were discussed, and an abundance of learning was had.

Fortunately, the school had shelving available for these books and so they have kindly asked that the funds allocated for such infrastructure, be redirected back to the shipment of a second load of books! As a result, this GoFundMe page will remain open for a few weeks and I will also collect any secondhand books that people are willing to donate (please send a message through this page). All funds will either go towards the shipment of books or the procurement of more books through small, independent bookstores.

I am incredibly grateful for the support that this campaign has received and thank you to everyone that has helped to provide this school community with a such a great assortment of books!

*UPDATE*

We have just learned that after being open more than 100 years, the school does not have a library. This shifts the priority towards creating a library space within the existing infrastructure, so books and storage what we'll be focusing on. We're excited to help give these young learners access to a library of their own!

What's happening

I will be heading to Korotogo (Fiji) for the winter school holidays to volunteer as a teacher, engaging young learners with literacy and numeracy. The school (St Joan of Arc) consists of students from prep through to year 8 and the community is excited for this opportunity!

What's needed

There is a small list of supplies that the school would be ever so grateful for, including:

Fortunately, items such as pens, pencils, and regular exercise books are readily available in the community.

How the funds will be used

Literacy/Numeracy exercise books and educational posters will be prioritised as they will need to be in 'as new' condition, whereas secondhand picture books in good condition would be warmly welcomed. Where possible, I intend to support local businesses along the Surf Coast with the purchase of any new materials. I will also be organising a secondhand picture book donation through social media. A portion of these funds may also go towards excess baggage fees - I have already paid for my own flights that will include standard checked luggage.

Storage wise, the remaining funds will be delivered to the school so they can make the appropriate purchases and furnish the classrooms with adequate storage.

How did this all come about?

A fellow teacher within a Victorian teachers group reached out as they had recently visited family in Korotogo, and they naturally took an interest in the education of their extended family. One thing led to another and she met with the school to discuss their needs, and now we're running a pilot program to help support the educational needs of this small community. I jumped on the opportunity immediately as I have a passion for volunteering (usually in the environmental and public health space) and the means to support myself with this trip.

I have already paid for my flights and I will be staying with a local family (I'll be contributing for room and board) as well. This is a genuine grassroots volunteering opportunity that I will financially support myself for, I'm just hoping to raise some funds to further support the community of Korotogo.

Any contributions are greatly appreciated!