During the 2016-17 School Year

The Odyssey 7-8's raised over $2000 US Dollars and accomplished something that we didn't think was possible.

You built a house!

Here is former Peace Corps Volunteer and Project Manager Dawna Horton with a message for you.

Photos from the Construction

Now for the 2017-18 School Year

Vanuatu, an archipelago located in the South Pacific, is a country rich in natural resources, surrounded by the vastness of the Pacific ocean and shaped by the active volcanoes of the ring of fire. More than 80 inhabited islands bring together their custom and culture to make this tiny island nation a unique and wonderful place to live and learn. For centuries the people of Vanuatu have survived by adapting the ingenuity and perseverance of our ancestors to the changing world around us, with more than 86 spoken languages and a proven aptitude for language learning the Vanuatu Mamas’ English Class is inspiring the people of this country to add another language.

It is the belief of the Vanuatu Mamas’ English Class Founders and Leadership that English Literacy is a resource to help Ni-Vanuatu to take part in a global exchange. The Vanuatu Mamas’ English Class also recognizes that women in particular suffer when literacy rates are low and education is not a priority.

Therefore the VMEC family; our students, teachers, leadership, founders and the men in our lives; all work for the achievement of four goals:

Provide women with the building blocks for English Literacy
Empower women to take leadership roles in their village and beyond
Encourage women to create a time and space for English literacy in the home
Increase women’s knowledge of the English Language

We are often asked about our focus on women and to those questions we respond that women are disproportionately affected by oppression and abuse. Women are only about half the world population, but they represent two-thirds of all illiterate adults. Further, in Vanuatu Women are the main caregivers in the family and best suited to share the information gained in during the program. We are starting with women, so that any expansion to serve all gender does so to benefit not harm the women’s rights movement in Vanuatu and regionally.

It is also important to us that we partner with like-minded organizations and that is why we are so glad to have the support and enthusiasm of Melanesian Women Today (MWT) behind us, as we raise funds to increase adult literacy in Vanuatu and elevate the status of Ni-Vanuatu women. With the help of MWT we were able to connect with a group of unique champions for global development, from Bainbridge Island’s Odyssey Middle School. These innovated students have raised funds to help us build a small custom house made of local materials to hold our classes in after cyclone Pam badly damaged out previous location. These young innovative leaders will also help us to build a VIP toilet and hand washing station so that VMEC can be a model for future generation in literacy and water secure sanitation. We are grateful for their commitment as it leaves us free to focus on fundraising efforts for the program itself.

Our $10,000 goal will allow us to support and train teachers on 4 different islands for a total of 20 classes, our program is new, but we are already seeing in major gains in the literacy awareness and confidence of the women we serve. With your help we will expand our reach and touch the lives of rural women throughout Vanuatu. As our moto states “Reading is power, power for growth!” and we intend to grow as an organization and a movement throughout Vanuatu and one day the Pacific.