Naduri District School near Labasa celebrated the day they received clean water on their taps, thanks to the school’s mother’s club.
According to an article published in The Fiji Times on July 11, 1974, the mothers not only raised $575 towards the cost of the project, but they actually helped build the reservoir and lay the pipeline.
A government grant of $1369 met the rest of the cost. The labour and plumbing works were done voluntarily and two delegates from each of the nine villages in the Macuata district helped to build the reservoir and lay the pipes for this development.
The official opening took place during a parents day at the school with a traditional Fijian ceremony.
The then assistant Roko Tui Macuata, Ratu Orisi Vukicanavanua, who was also the school manager, officially opened this project.
Ratu Orisi said the mothers of the children attending the school had put a great deal of effort into a major project for which the school committee and the children were grateful.
School headteacher Iliesa Sakealevo told an audience of 500 that the school had lacked water since its establishment in 1946.
Children were using a nearby creek to drink from. When it rained, the water became murky and muddy.
Mr Sakealevo said Naduri District School accommodated 250 children from classes one to eight. It had a staff of eight.
He said the school had just completed a new concrete block building and there were provisions for extensions.
