Wananavu Kadavu is a 501(c)(3) EIN=27-1533265

Help Bring Fresh Water to Rural Fiji. Donate Today!

Support Upcoming Projects...

On the Fiji Islands

These projects will bring potable water to, health clinics, schools and rural villages.

All donations go directly to purchase of needed project materials including water tanks, water filters, valves, pipe, etc.

Become a Monthly Supporter

Help bring fresh water to Fiji, one month at a time

Show your support with Wananavu Kadavu t-shirts & ball caps

Select your size
 

 

Videos


We would like to thank...

 

Holladay Rotary of Utah USA

District 5420

 

 

 

 Roads Capital, LLC

 

 

 

  

  


 

 

 


 

 


 

Bruce & Carolyn Summerhays

 Lynn & Ann Summerhays

 Joseph & Michelle Summerhays

 

George & Natalie Waddoups 


One Village at a time... by Serena Martineau

Our Facebook
Our Twitter
Our Flickr
Fiji News
Navigation

Entries in Charity (4)

Sunday
Jan092011

The Kavala Health Clinic Project, our first project in the New Year.

We have started work on the Kavala Health Clinic which also includes the Naleca Post Office. Our project manager, Ben Sorensen is enjoying the work at Kavala and the good people there. There are 3 villages working with us, they rotate days. This go around, Ben is staying in a government provided house near the Clinic. 

Having a friend here in Utah (our headquarters) from the Kavala Bay area is nice. Before we knew anyone in that location, we met Inoke Qaqanilawa, his wife Amileki and their young son Maia. Inoke is from the Naidti Village, Yale district on Kadavu Island. Inoke called me after he heard of the 1st Annual Wananavu Kadavu Golf Tournament. It was an honor having him join us for a day of golf, to help with the project near his childhood home. Inoke and his wife also cheered the Water Warriors ( our Dodge Ball team ) at the Utah Jazz Dodge Barrage. Two weeks later, the Qaqanilawas invited us to help celebrate the Fiji 40 Year Independence Day Celebration. It has been so nice to have these friendships that remind us of our work in Fiji. 

What was especially nice, was having Inoke speak at our Golf Tournament during the luncheon. He knew better then anyone the needs of his Island in Fiji. Soon, golf professional, Joseph Summerhays will be back to work organizing the 2nd Annual Wananavu Kadavu Golf Tournament. Last years tournament definitely wouldn't have been the success it was without him. The feedback from our first try at having a golf tournament has been positive. The best thing we heard was "it was fun". That is just how we want it, fun. 

We receive many emails, comments and letters of thanks for the work we're doing, but all of us involved with Wananavu Kadavu feel blessed and grateful for this great experience. The opportunity to help others is truly rewarding. God willing, we will have the ability to spend many years in Fiji helping to bring fresh spring water to families in need. 

We had someone comment that "Fiji has plenty of water, that's where Fiji Water comes from". Fiji Water does come from an artesian aquifer in theYaqara Valley, Viti Levu, Fiji. However over half of the population in Fiji does not have access to this type of clean water, or the materials to bring it to their rural villages, clinics and schools. 

Our Project Manager, Ben Sorensen has had years of experience in construction and is now learning more and more about water projects. As he met with the people in the villages where we have put in water tanks, he assured us he could do the work. Without him it would be close to impossible for us to provide for these projects. He has worked well with the Fiji Government and other people with the experience needed to move forward. Because of Ben and his committmentWananavu Kadavu now has lifelong friends in the Fiji Islands. 

Here is a simple step by step outline of how our water projects work :

1st- Ben goes with locals and employees of the Kadavu Health Administration to find a clean water source. Once found, the Health Department tests the water flow to make sure it is strong enough to provide for the area in need. Then the water is tested for its purity. Once the water is found to meet government standards Ben starts to measure and calculate the job.

2nd- A dam is build at the water source, then pipes are constructed from the dam down to a site for the water tanks.

3rd- Depending on the number of tanks needed for the project, cement slabs are constructed to house the tanks. We use gravity to get the water to the homes, clinics or schools.

4th- Once the tanks are in, we plumb into the villages. 

The majority of the supplies used are; PVC pipe, fittings, lumber, rebar, cement  and of course water tanks which are made from polyethylene. As to date, we have purchased our tanks from Rotamould Fiji LTD in Wailada Lami, Suva. Other vendors are RC Manubhai & Co. LTD and Vinod Patel to name a few. Ben travels to Suva about every 6 to 8 weeks depending on the need. He makes the purchases needed, then returns to Kadavu on the boat with the supplies. 

Each village provides the man power and work along side Ben.  Food has been provided by the village we are working for. Ben has lived in the Navuatu Village until we started work at Kavala Bay. While in the Navuatu Village, he lived with the Cula families. What a great blessing the Cula family has been to Wananavu Kadavu Inc.

The villages where water projects have been built to date are; The Nuku Village and the Navuatu Village. The Kavala Health Clinic is our first clinic to work on, with the hopes of more in the future. 

When the project is finished, it is then gifted by Wananavu Kadavu to the village/clinics for future care and maintenance.

As said, this is a "simple" step by step outline. We can assure you there is a lot more to it.

We are looking forward to our journey in this New Year. The founder and president of Wananavu Kadavu, Nancy Thompson Mahler will be traveling to Fiji soon to see the progress. Also while in Fiji, she hopes to meet with Dr. Dave WhippySalote Cataka and others to make plans for our next project. 

We were told that it takes around 5 years to get a nonprofit off the ground. In just over a year we've provided water to two villages and are now working on a Health Clinic. The Kavala Health Clinic will provide water for 1/3 of the people on the island of Kadavu.

Maybe there really are no accidents in life, maybe it was meant to be. On the darkest days when we were trying to get on our feet, not knowing if we would come up with the money needed to continue, we sometimes wondered,  "what were we thinking"!?  The next day, there was a donation in just the amount needed to move forward. The success of our golf tournament made it possible to purchase the supplies needed for the Kavala Health Clinic. For all the sponsors, the golfers, family and friends who have supported us, thank you. To those of you who are strangers who believe in our work and have contributed, thank you. For all of you who have encouraged us along the way, thank you. You all kept us going. When we didn't think we could go on, you believed in us.

It takes more than a village, it takes the world. 

One village at a time, together we can...

Friday
Jul302010

"YOU" are making it happen...

Our project manager, Ben Sorensen uploaded some photos of  the Navuatu water project we are doing in Fiji.  Please forgive me for making this personal, but Wananavu Kadavu is very personal to me and my family.


Ben Sorensen is my oldest son and I just want you to know how proud I am of him and the work he is doing in Fiji. Little did I know a trip to Fiji would change our lives forever.

Ok, so I'm his mom but that doesn't stop it from being something great. He has invested in Wananavu Kadavu and the people of Fiji. The crew of our 2 projects to date have become family, he lives with them and works with them. So Ben, kudos to you. From now on when I hear "pay it forward" I'll think of Ben, the people who work shoulder to shoulder with you and all those who have believed in us. How easy it would have been to return home to Utah never to look back...  the journey we would have missed.


As I've been looking at his photos of our Navuatu crew, I cried. I'm so proud of Ben, so proud of the work he is doing. He didn't do it alone, our family didn't do it alone, there is no "I" in doing something like this it's "WE". People from all around the world are making it happen, a stranger on a plane, old friends, new friends this wouldn't be happening without "YOU", so vinaka vakalevu, danke schon, merci beaucoup, arigato gozaimasu, obrigada, muchas gracias and thank you thank you thank you!!

Ben and Scott made the decision to stay in Fiji to do this work, we said we'd do our best to make it happen and in the end "YOU" made it happen, together we can make big changes to make our world a better place for all to live.

Every person who has helped make this happen is "Wananavu Kadavu", wananavu means everything is set, that being said we can continue working...



One village at a time, together we can...









 







Thursday
Jun242010

Why Water?



Health and sanitation.

Unsafe water and lack of basic sanitation cause 80% of diseases and kill more people every year than all forms of violence, including war. Children are especially vulnerable, as their bodies aren't strong enough to fight diarrhea, dysentery and other illnesses.

90% of the 42,000 deaths that occur every week from unsafe water and unhygienic living conditions are to children under five years old. Many of these diseases are preventable. The UN predicts that one tenth of the global disease burden can be prevented simply by improving water supply and sanitation.




Come join us on Wednesday, June 30th at the New Yorker, enjoy the tastes of  Award Winning Chef Will Pliler while helping those in need.


The New Yorker - Premier American Traditional Cuisine




Tuesday
Jun082010

The New Yorker in Salt Lake City, Utah USA is Hosting a Fundraiser for Wananavu Kadavu~Water Project




Wananavu Kadavu~Water Project



Fundraiser for Clean Water

in Fiji

Hosted by

The New Yorker Restaurant

40 West Market Street

Salt Lake City, Utah

USA

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

5pm to 7pm

Help bring clean drinking water to the rural

villages of the Fiji Islands

SILENT AUCTION



Donations have been received by

Basketball star Ronnie Price


Professional Golfer Bruce Summerhays


Icon Health & Fitness


Photographer Serena Martineau


and much more...

Tickets are available with suggested donation of $50

at the following locations

The New Yorker Restaurant

Monday through Friday

11:30 am to 3pm

On our website through

paypal

nancy@wananavukadavu.org

serena@wananavukadavu.org

erica@wananavukadavu.org

If you would like to donate to our silent auction please


+ 801-891-7714


One village at a time, together we can...



If you can't make the event, you can still help out

just push the DONATE button on the right.

All donations are tax deductible