Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Share our Rewarding Adventure



Robyn in Naone Village, Vanuatu with local school kids

In 2006, we had an incredible adventure sailing through the Pacific Islands on our yacht, Maajhi Re (see below for more tales!). We were welcomed with warmth and enthusiasm by the villages that we visited, and just fell in love with the culture, values and attitude to life.

One of the things that struck us wherever we travelled was how important education was to everyone on the islands, and how everyone persevered to give their kids the best education possible … often with very limited supplies.

Most schools manage without the most basic tools such as writing paper, pens, pencils, and books. One school we visited shared just 4 reading books between all 80 students! While sailing around we did our best to help the villagers provide for their kids’ education. We helped one village organize a fundraising feast for the visiting yachties, and raised enough to send a local girl to high school for a year. We had a small supply of exercise books, pens and pencils on board which we gave to schools we visited. We even gave a few young lads a lift across to a neighbouring island to start their school year! We have to admit they got a little sea-sick, but they did love the adventure. These basic little gifts were received with great appreciation and enthusiasm by the families, chiefs and teachers, and we made promises to come back with more next year.

So as we embark on our second year sailing around the Pacific, we are utilizing Robyn's past teaching skills to start buying some supplies for all the schools with the help of generous family and friends who have helped us stock our boat (and those of our fellow cruisers) with school supplies that will find their way across the Pacific to remote schools. These gifts will be so welcome – we can’t wait to see the beaming faces of the kids, and we can’t wait to take lots of photos to share the excitement with you all!!

We’ll update this blog as often as possible (internet access permitting of course!) so you will see the fabulous results of your generosity. Thank you for being part of our sailing adventure!!

Robyn and David Peile
SV Maajhi-Re