Vanuatu
Ekipe, Island of Efante, Vanuatu
Children delight in attending school in Vanuatu, an island nation of 200,000 in the South Pacific. The country struggles to preserve its rich cultural heritage and natural treasures, while simultaneously striving to advance economically and socially. It is understood that a child’s education is one of the keys to development, yet many subsistence farm families struggle to pay their children’s school fees. Here in the seaside village of Ekipe, three boys peek out of the new classroom the community has built to replace the old school of coconut and pandanus leaves. The new building offers a cool, quiet place where children can learn, and stands as a testament to the progress of the village.
– Kristine Alaniz ©2008
Peace Corps Volunteer, Vanuatu 2007-09
Health
Republic of Vanuatu/Ripablik blong Vanuatu
In Oceania, a group of 82 islands of volcanic origin in the South Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Australia. 12,189 km2 (slightly > CT), 2% arable.
Capital Port-Vila (.02M)
Population 225K (18/km2)
Life expectancy 65 years
HIV/AIDS N/A
Literacy 74%
Languages more than 100 local languages 72%, pidgin 23%, English (official) 2%, French (official) 1%, unspecified 1%
Religions Presbyterian 31%, Anglican 13%, Catholic 13%, Seventh-Day Adventist 11%, other Christian 14%, indigenous beliefs 6%, other 10%, none or unspecified 2%
Ethnic Groups Ni-Vanuatu 98.5%, other 1.5%
Gov’t Parliamentary Republic
GDP/cap $5,500
PCVs 1990 – present; health, agriculture, youth development, and conservation (Volunteers in country: 98; total to date: 573)
Nat’l holiday Independence Day, 30 July (1980)
Adult Books
Getting Stoned with Savages: A Trip Through the Islands of Fiji and Vanuatu
by J. Maarten Troost
Paperback: 239 pages
Publisher: Broadway Books (June 13, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN-13: 978-0767921992
Book Description
A comical and touching travel memoir with a sentimental heart, Troost's latest work genuinely captures the search for paradise as well as the need for home.
Films
Film: Vanuatu Short Clips
Music
Recipes
Focus Word
Focus Word for 2012 - "Freedom"
Bislama: Fridom (fri-dom)
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Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of Wisconsin-Madison is a public charity registered under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of the United States. Its EIN is 39-1669348. It is also an affiliate group of the National Peace Corps Association (NPCA).
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