$10,000 gift builds hope in the Solomon Islands

Ten thousand dollars may seem like a modest construction budget, but a group of UQ students will ensure every cent is utilised when they visit the Solomon Islands next week.

The group from International House are heading to tiny Mbabanga Island, where the money will be used to construct vital accommodation for visiting teachers and medical staff.

The two-week trip has been made possible by American philanthropist Kathryn Wasserman Davis, who celebrated her 100th birthday in 2007 by launching Projects for Peace –100 $10,000 grants to be given to university students for charitable purposes.

Team leader and UQ medical student Tony Swain said although the group were not experienced builders, they had worked closely with the Mbabanga community to ensure the project was a success.

“The design was made by us based upon specifications we’d seen from the Solomons. This includes pictures of the buildings and photographs of the construction methods and materials that are used over there,” Mr Swain said.

“We’ve had it checked by a structural engineer and a couple of builders and they’ve given it the thumbs up.”

Once complete, the 6 x 6 metre two-room building will serve as an accommodation block for visitors. At present, local children travel by canoe to surrounding islands for school because Mbabanga lacks a place for a teacher to live.

There is also no mains electricity, sealed roads or medical facilities on the island.

“Because of the costs of fuel and transport to present to hospital, most people from Mbabanga don’t present until the medical condition is severe,” Mr Swain said.

“Usually by that stage, what could have been reversible in Brisbane is irreversible in Mbabanga. Through building this we’re creating infrastructure for a mobile health worker. This provides them with a place to stay and place to run an outpatient’s clinic.”

Director of International House Dr Carla Tromans said the trickle on effects of such work could be substantial.

“There might be a young child who is going to school there, and with the links and networks that are laid, that child 20 years down the track might find themselves here at UQ at International House,” she said.

“You can’t really underestimate the impact that you might have.”

International House has partnered with the Rotary Club of Brisbane Planetarium to plan the trip and donate basic medical and school supplies to the local community.

Founded in 1965, International House is one of 10 residential colleges at UQ, and welcomes about 240 students from around 35 countries each year.

Media: Dr Tromans (07 3721 2488, ihdirector@inthouse.uq.edu.au) or Cameron Pegg at UQ Communications (07 3365 2049, c.pegg@uq.edu.au)