2008-02-20 14:54:45 - Cyclone Fuma strikes devastating blow to schools at the beginning of the new year.

Cyclone Fuma recently struck a devastating blow to the students and teachers of the schools of far north Vanuatu, in the South Pacific, when it blew out the windows of the classroom.

Exercise books collected and sent by a Rotary Club in New South Wales, Australia, were destroyed when gale force winds and driving rain drenched the classrooms.

"It is a devastating

blow to the schools," Area Secretary Mr. Apos, said. "In a situation where teaching the children is very difficult, without resources, it is frustrating to see what little we have is gone."

In an area where pencils are cut in three, and one exercise book used among several students, the pencils and books sent from Australia were like receiving gifts of pure gold.

Vanuatu is a tax-free haven for investors, but this gives little help to education. The Prime Minister Mr. Lini, admitted in a recent visit to the area, "We give very little assistance to these distant areas." There is no money available to put into the education system and many of the younger generation of these far flung communities, will not even leave their village, let alone gain a high school education.

'It is hard enough to teach with what little we have, now we have even less,' Arthur, one of the teachers said. 'Pens, pencils and rulers, chalk, blackboard paint, reference books and above all else exercise books, are desperately needed.'It is the beginning of the school year and what little supplies these school had, are now gone. The frustration on the part of the teachers is devastating.

'It is hard to believe in the 21st century that we still have pockets of areas where school supplies are limited and children will never receive a high school education,' said Rick Tendys, current owner of Seachange Lodge, in Port Vila. Guests from the lodge have been assisting the Tendys to send school supplies to the northern communities since 2004.

'We are so grateful for charities like YouMe Support Foundation who are aware of our situation and are doing something about it,' Mr. Apos said. YouMe Support Foundation charity, is partnering with winaresort.com in giving away a South Pacific island resort, Seachange Lodge, to raise non-repayable higher education grants for these children.