Ramadan 2020 رمضان
AL WASAT
80
Launch of MAA International Primary School in Vanuatu On 13th March 2020, Muslim Aid Australia (MAA) held a special dinner in Bankstown, Sydney to mark the opening of the MAA International Primary School (MIPS) in the Republic of Vanuatu. Vanuatu is a South Pacific Ocean nation located west of Fiji, famous for gorgeous islands, coral reefs, and more. It is made up of roughly 80 islands that include Tanna – that has the active volcano Mount Yasur. Unfortunately, Vanuatu also has the highest proportion of children who have never attended school in the Pacific. In remote Tanna, a child has to walk at least 4km a day to attend school, which leads to poor school attendance and performance. These were some of the fundamental reasons behind MAA wanting to open the school here.
Education & Employment:
The school provides free education to all and currently accommodates 40 children in Year 1 and 2 classes, but has a capacity of 120 students. The official Vanuatu curriculum is followed which includes Maths, Science and English and additionally the school also conducts Arabic,
Culture and Permaculture classes. The school currently employs nine locals in roles across management, teaching, farm aid and more in addition to the volunteers and consultants that make up the School Council.
Sustainable Community:
The school complex doubles as a sustainable agriculture site for the community where both students and adults can learn techniques such as composting food waste, sustaining soil fertility, harvesting rain water, and more. This will help them rely less on imported food and fertilisers that harm their health and land. The site will also be equipped with a solar panel system, composting toilets, grey water systems, and recycling processes to make up for the lack of such utilities in Tanna.
Health & Nutrition:
The permaculture programme at the school not only teaches the community about sustainable agriculture, it also provides highly nutritious crops that are cooked at the school kitchen and turned
into healthy lunches every day. The school also runs parent and child workshops that focus on hygiene and bathing techniques, lice prevention and treatment, and other health issues. The structure is also cyclone-proof and can withstand a highest Category 5 cyclone. MAA General Manager, Aziz Dindar, expressed his gratitude for the support from donors, especially ‘Fathi The Opening’ - a charity initiative begun by family members in memory of their young brother Fathi Karra-Hassan, who passed away in Sydney in early 2017. “We are committed to continue developing impactful humanitarian aid projects in the oft-neglected South Pacific.” For the School Principal, Tovey Jalson, it is like a dream come true. “On behalf of the community, we are so grateful for the donors who have sincerely donated to build this school. For me, it has been so massive, I cannot express it enough from my heart. We believe that as we go on, Allah will continue to bless us as we uphold the faith and continue to develop this place for the better.”
Islamophobia Research Project by the Australian Multicultural Foundation & Deakin University Islamophobia Research Project by the Australian Multicultural Foundation & Deakin University The Australian Multicultural Foundation (AMF), in partnership with Deakin University are conducting a research project exploring the perspectives of young Melburnians’ on Islamophobia including; how different forms of extremist views and narratives may contribute, how it may impact young Muslim Melburnians’ participation, integration and sense of belonging, AL WASAT 109 ¿ Ramadan 1441 ¿ March - April 2020 نيسان- هـ ¿ آذار1441 ¿ رمضان109 الوسط
and strategies to counter it. The project will further explore the value of using a peer research method to collect data. The research team are currently recruiting Muslim and non-Muslim Melburnians’ aged 18-28, to participate in peer interviews throughout March 2020. For more information or to register your interest, please contact the Project Coordinator at the AMF madelinne@amf.net.au.