Banaban School Rabi

Banaban School is in Nuku Village on Rabi Island. It has 416 students, taught by 14 teachers with two support staff.

Before solar, the school ran a reasonably efficient generator for several hours a day, and during exam periods for night study. The solar system now diverts more than FJ$8,000 a year from generator fuel into education resources. That's before counting the cost of replacing or repairing generators, which often fail in the hard conditions and cyclones – two failed generators were still sitting on site. Head Teacher Master Fiafia and his staff are focused on building the school's capacity to deliver a modern education with electronic resources, and the ongoing fuel savings make that vision possible.

The 6 kW system, installed in June 2022, included 16 Canadian Solar 380 W panels, an OutBack FLEXpower TWO inverter/charger, six SimpliPhi PHI 3.8 lithium batteries, a Clenergy Solar Terrace II ground-mount system and various electrical works.

The school committed to spending 20 minutes each week picking up plastic – less waste, and great learning for the kids. It has also taken on other clean-up and village beautification projects, including turning old bins and tyres into planter pots.

Lead funding came from seven shareholders of CWP Global, led by Michael Vawser – thank you Ed, Alex, Kam, Mark, Mike, Dimitar and Helen – and from our other supporters. The students, teachers, school management committee and the whole community send a big vinaka vakalevu – thank you.