After the impact of Tropical Cyclone Pam which destroyed the Vanuatu Society for People with Disability centre, executive director Elison Bovu said they were hoping a miracle would happen to rebuild the centre.
If the centre was rebuilt, VSPD could continue with their smooth running of their program with disabled people in the country.
They are currently located in a small office and supported by a private law firm to ensure that the VSPD program continues.
On Tuesday 4th of November, the director of the New Breed Destiny Centre, Nigel Quai handed over a cheque of 1,309, 800VT to Mr Bovu, on behalf of the Host of the Christafari Band, the Harvest Production and Horizon Consultant, the Zion Fest, VQM Foundation and the International Strategic Alliance of Apostolic Churches (ISAAC) of Papua New Guinea, in the presence of the Representative of the Ministry of Justice, Mr Sam Kaiapam, the PNG Honorary Consul, Mrs Eileen Nganga, and the representatives of the ISAAC Churches from Papua New Guinea.
Mr Quai represented the ISAAC Churches in PNG to hand over an amount of 874,560 VT or 25,000 Kina, that was raised from Vanessa Quai’s join effort with the PNG ISAAC Churches, funds raised in Port Moresby, in September this year.
Mr Quai as the host of the Christafari band tour to Vanuatu also handed over 300,000 VT which is 20% of the proceeds from the Christafari Concert in Port Vila.
Mr Quai, who is the chairman of the Zion Fest, also handed over 135.240VT in offerings that was collected at the Zion Fest on the 1st November.
He voiced his gratitude to VSPD’s Mr Bovu for the trust given to him to raise funds towards the rebuilding of the new building of the VSPD, in the platform of music and entertainment.
Mr Sam Kaiapam from the VSPD desk in the Ministry of Justice acknowledged the effort initiated by Mr. Quai and his family. Mr Kaiapam said this kind of effort showed the capability of the Vanuatu people with joint efforts. The Government hands are full and cannot attend to every one’s need in the community, he said.
Mr Bovu acknowledged everyone’s effort in raising the funds, and admitted that this is the first effort that a local organization has done for the VSPD, since the cyclone destroyed their building.
Mr Bovu estimated that the rebuilding of the new facility would cost about 20 to 30 Million Vatu. The leader of the PNG ISAAC delegation, Pastor Douglas Pitoni responded that the PNG ISAAC Churches were very happy to help and it was rightful that PNG as the big brother in Melanesia would continue to push the fund raising in PNG, until they raise 500,000 Kina to help rebuild the VSPD new facility.
The PNG Honorary Consul to Vanuatu, Mrs Eileen Nganga, expressed her gratitude to the PNG ISAAC Churches for their generosity in helping the VSPD in a valuable way, despite their own internal difficulties.
Mrs Nganga said the way the PNG ISAAC Churches had come in to assist was a continual blessing to the VSPD, for the hard work of late Mrs. Andy Litch, from Chimbu, PNG that she contributed to the VSPD, before she passed away in 2013.
Mrs Nganga thanked Vanessa Quai for having opened the doors for such blessings through her music platform. And Mrs Nganga confirmed that this is not the first time that Vanessa Quai and her family have helped in such a cause.
The PNG community organized for Vanessa Quai to assist to raise funds for the Aitape Tsunami victims in 1998, when she was 9 years old, to raise more than 1 million Vatu for the victims.
Caption: Director of the New Breed Destiny Centre, Mr Nigel Quai, hand over a cheque of 1.3 million Vatu on behalf of the PNG ISAAC Churches, Christafari band, the Harvest Production, the Zion Fest and VQM Foundation; to the Executive Director of the Vanuatu Society for People with Disability.