Montmartre High school

The roofs of Montmartre High School completely blew off. In March 2015, Vanuatu experienced a category 5 cyclone which damaged thousands of homes, schools and other buildings. The roofs of Montmartre High School completely blew off. Some of the livestock on the school farm were killed.

The gardens were strewn with debris such as broken glass.

For months after the cyclone, lessons were held in tents while the rebuild took place.

The students spent an hour of class time each day cleaning up the gardens.

For a few months after the cyclone, clean water was hard to come by. Caritas Australia donated some rainwater collection tanks to the school.

Now, two years on, the gardens are growing well. The students grow chinese cabbage, lettuce, spring onions, tomatoes, taro, kumala, yams, manioc and pawpaw.

They prepare these vegetables for their meals.

The school buildings are now repaired.

And the students continue to work daily in the gardens. The vegetables they grow are their main source of food.

They know that Vanuatu continues to be vulnerable to extreme weather events, but they have learned not to worry too much.

They are confident that they have the skills to rebuild again if they need to.

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