Supporting Kiribati Education and Community Goals
This year, with the support of ACU, I will be travelling back to the Republic of Kiribati (Ki-ri-bas) as a volunteer from the 11/6/19 to 11/7/2019. The trip will be self-funded and all donations will go directly towards supporting schools and communities.
In Kiribati, Catholic high schools and pre-schools recieve little to no government support, and charge very little in school fees.
As a result, school infrastructure, school resources and student resources are very limited.
At St Louis High School, the average classroom has:
- No windows
- Inadequate furniture
- No ICT capabilities and
- No air-conditioning
but every classroom has students who are dedicated and hard working.
(Above - Year 12 Biology Class in the non-functional science labs)
There are many pre-schools in Kiribati. At St Michaels in 2018, the fees were optional, at ~50c AUD a day if the family could afford it. This money had to resource activities between 9:30 and 11:30 for around 30 children and 3 staff each day. Resources in Kiribati cost significantly more than in Australia, so staff often sacrifice what little pay they may earn to ensure children have crayons, a pencil or a book to do the days work in.
(Above - Claire Thomas 2018, introducing the new number and counting cards. This is the first time children have had resources at this center). What will the funds be used for?
All funds donated will go towards supporting pre-schools, schools and community groups in Kiribati.
Purchases and donations will be based on the needs of the community group and will be primarily spent in Kiribati to support local businesses.
Such purchases will include:
Exercise Books, stationery, sporting equipment, reading books and teaching resources.
A little about me (Steve):
I am a 21 year old ACU Student - Bachelor of Teaching / Bachelor of Science 3rd Year.
My inspiration to Volunteer again:
I was inspired to volunteer again after coming back from my last trip and experiencing reverse culture shock. We come from a country in which our education systems and communities are relatively abundant in resources. With additional resources in Kiribati, I believe educators can better further student learning in classrooms, preschools and create environments that stimulate learning for children. I believe I am able to play a part in helping the the Kiribati community in reaching some of their goals. 
(Above - Steve (Myself), Claire and the inspirational pre-school teachers from St Michaels)
What will I be doing there?
During my time in Kiribati, I will be engaging with high-schools, pre-schools and community groups alongside a group of ACU students and staff, teachers from the Wollongong archdiocese and independently.
We will be working to:
- Support high-school teachers in their classrooms
- Support Wollongong archdiocese teachers in delivering a stage of a teaching accreditation to Kiribati Teachers in Catholic High Schools
- Support pre-school teachers in their programs
- Working with community groups to achieve their goals: Such as planting mangroves and cleaning up areas.
Thank you:
Thank you so much for checking this page out! I am incredibly grateful for any donation made no matter how big or small, and will make the best efforts to show where and how this money is being used to support local communities. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact this page!
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