In 2021, Friends of Tonga and their partners Schools for Children of the World rebuilt the Ta'anga Kindergarten, which was destroyed by a cyclone in 2018. This structure is cyclone and earthquake resistant, equipped with its own bathroom and septic tank, and is furnished with furniture specifically made for early-childhood education.
This success is even more remarkable considering that it was completed during Covid-19 and coordinated from the United States, the furniture shipped from New Zealand, our engineers reviewing the work from Honduras, and our community partners assisting with the labor and securing our supplies in Tonga. We believe that this model is sustainable, equitable, and successful.
Friends of Tonga has been approached by other communities, in Tonga, to assist with constructing future kindergartens and providing resources to assist with early-childhood education. Moreover, the Ministry of Education has expressed interest in supporting these types of programming and projects. With your donation, Friends of Tonga will be able to support the fledgling early-childhood education initiatives, across the entire Kingdom.
Furthermore, with construction projects, we can create a specialized kindergarten building, where students feel comfortable and safe. Likewise, it will provide communities a consolidation point for future weather events. With a building specified for these students to learn in, students will be provided with the foundation they need to succeed in primary school and beyond!