Social Innovation Challenge
Fiji Kindergarten
Bringing early education and sustainable infrastructure to
underdeveloped areas
WHO ARE WE?
The Team
We are a group of socially responsible
students at UC San Diego focusing our
humanitarian efforts to improve education,
health, and the socioeconomics of
underdeveloped communities. We aim to
do so on a global scale by teaming up with
non-profits around the world to implement
sustainable and innovative infrastructures
for Kindergartens.
OUR PRODUCT
Our social innovation product is a kindergarten constructed
out of salvaged shipping containers on the island of Taveuni,
Fiji. Our project aims to address the social justice issues of
education, poverty, and environmental sustainability in a
replicable model that can be used to increase access to
early education not only across Fiji, but around the world.
Christina Aguila
Sharina Arandia
Garrett Aronin
Kevin Bertolli
Denali Dahl
Nathan Dancher
Cindy Feng
Erin Foley
Jeffrey Gameway
Andy Kieatiwong
Brian Lee
Catherine Martinez
Arturo Mora
Wynneth Requieron
Diana Riveros
Tessa Rogers
Catherine Yu
THE NEED WE ARE ADDRESSING:
Along with other Pacific Island nations such as Tonga, Papua New
Guinea, Western Samoa, New Zealand, and Australia, Fiji has officially
recognized the need for early childhood care and education, signing
five global initiatives since 1979 regarding children’s rights to basic education (Early Childhood Care and Education in the Pacific). According
to a 2010 independent report prepared for the Australian Agency for
International Development (AusAID), much progress has been made
since then, such as: increased leadership capacity for the Fijian Ministry
of Education and district education offices and schools, improved
teacher training, and improved capacity to plan and develop new curriculum and assessment methods for students (Fiji Education Sector
Program Independent Completion Report). However, while much has
been done on the legislative level, the physical realization of the government’s ambitions has been slower than projected due to a lack of resources. As a result, increased access to early childhood care and education has been the shared goal of both local Fijian communities and various private enterprises. The
combination of the Fijian government’s advances in legislation and the local communities’ commitments toward establishing
schools — even without government funding — demonstrates how beneficial and well-received the social impact of our
project could be. The kindergarten classroom will be built out of salvaged shipping containers which are available for purchase once they reach the end of their “sea life”.
We have been working with the Loloma Foundation, a non-profit organization based in Southern California with the mission
of providing “sustainable medical, dental, and infrastructure support to rural communities in the South Pacific who would
otherwise have no access to basic healthcare” (The Loloma Foundation). The Loloma Foundation already has experience
using shipping containers to send medical and dental supplies to many of the Pacific islands, including Fiji. Because purchasing a container at the end of its sea life does not cost much more than renting one, our client suggested that the Foundation
simply purchase and repurpose a shipping container as a classroom. This way, the Loloma Foundation does not need to ship
the container back; once the medical and dental supplies are unloaded, it can be transported to the building site where it will
be transformed into a classroom. The kindergarten structure will also incorporate a basic rainwater catchment and storage
system and a composting toilet with an attached foot pump-powered sink. These elements will make the kindergarten selfsustaining and environmentally friendly, as any waste produced from the kindergarten can be composted and reused as fertilizer. With its simple design, the Fiji Kindergarten Project ultimately aims to be easily replicated. If our project is successful, it
can be reproduced in other areas that are also in need of accessible education. In addition, the same utilities created to
make the school self-sustaining — such as the foot pump sink, rainwater catchment system, and composting toilet — give
the kindergarten the potential to be used for other purposes, such as: as a temporary disaster relief center, a medical clinic,
or a community center. The Fiji Kindergarten project aims to reduced poverty through increasing the accessibility of education in an environmentally sustainable way. We hope to create a product that will inspire a long-term positive change in Fiji,
one kindergarten at a time.
Donors & Investors
The Global TIES Program has provided up to $400 dollars per quarter since Winter 2013 to cover the cost of any materials we
have needed to build prototypes and perform testing. In addition to that, the Loloma Foundation is supporting the first Fiji
Kindergarten structure design through its donation of the two shipping containers. With more funds, longer lasting materials
can be used in the construction of the container. With the help of its 31 sponsors, the Loloma Foundation is the primary
monetary donor of our project. In order to compliment the Loloma Foundation, we hope to obtain more investors once we
have our project on the ground.
Understandably, most donors wish to see a final product, and in our case, that can only take form in a fully functioning school.
By entering the USD Social Innovation Challenge, we hope to attract more funding, allowing our project to be replicated not
only in other parts of Fiji, but potentially all over the world.
Social Impact Mantra
The mission of the Fiji Kindergarten Project is to create a long-lasting
learning environment that nurtures the young minds of kindergartenaged children living on the island of Taveuni in Fiji. Our project aims to
make kindergarten education more accessible to the Fijian youth, which
in turn will help the surrounding communities. By providing more
students with the resources to receive an education, the cycle of
poverty that is so prominent in the rural villages of Fiji can be broken.
Utilizing education as a means to create opportunity and alleviate poverty will help Fiji as a country continue to develop and
grow, which will increase the overall quality of life for individuals in Fiji.
Our design will become a blueprint for creating a sustainable learning center that will immediately benefit 30 kindergarten students and their parents. Establishing centrally-located kindergartens in the remote areas of Fiji will prevent the need for children to wake up before the sunrise and walk long distances to obtain a daily education. “ We fear for the children’s safety be-
cause they leave home while it’s still dark and it is such a long distance,” says grandfather, Deo Lal, 66, of a young Fijian student (“Little Ones Walk to School” from The Fiji Times ONLINE).
By increasing accessibility to an early educational experience, children will receive invaluable intellectual tools that will provide
a strong basis for future academic endeavors as well as facilitate their daily decision making process.
Environment & Resources
The Fiji Kindergarten project is associated with Global Teams in
Engineering Service (TIES), a humanitarian engineering program of the
Jacobs School of Engineering at the University of California, San Diego.
The Fiji team meets weekly with Dr. Mandy Bratton, the executive
director of Global TIES and faculty advisor of the team, to receive
feedback on different ideas for the project. By having a faculty advisor
who is both knowledgeable of the Fijian culture, as well as well
connected and experienced with non-profits, we are able to focus most
of our energy on the design. Furthermore, the project’s client
representative, Dr. Lance Hendricks, president of Loloma Foundation,
has been acting as the tether between our team and the Fijian
community.
For our infrastructure, The Loloma Foundation will be purchasing and
transporting the two shipping containers. Because the containers will be
at the end of their seaworthiness and otherwise thrown away, The
Loloma Foundation is able to purchase the containers at a low cost.
Although their seaworthiness has expired, the structural integrity of the
containers is perfectly suitable for an educational facility. They will
therefore embark on their last voyage, containing all necessary supplies
for our construction. We will also be working in association with the Fiji
Kinde Project, who will provide the teachers for the children.
Social Impact Baselines & Milestones
Our Main Beneficiaries
The most direct and important beneficiaries of our project will be the
Fijian children who attend our kindergarten. We intend for our design
to positively impact the community by increasing the accessibility of
kindergarten-level education on the Fijian Islands[T1] . According to
Legal Moment and Family Initiative, investing in early education
generates community economic development both in the short term
and long term. Communities in the short run gain in the creation of
jobs, the increase in the purchase of goods and services, and a more efficient work force. In the long run, quality early education builds an employable, educated workforce. Education has the potential to lead to improvements in health, agricultural,
and even socioeconomic conditions, extending into the greater community[T2] .
Scope of Success
Milestone Gains for Individual Beneficiaries
We aim to build our first kindergarten classroom for
By looking at the current education landscape in Fiji we can evaluate
approximately 30 Fijian kindergarten students and one
a baseline condition and work to implement a set of milestones to
instructor. Our hope is that within the next 18 months,
improve opportunities for education, health, and socioeconomic
construction will be completed and instruction will have
equality. As mentioned before, the physical realization of the govern-
begun.
ment’s educational ambitions has been slower than projected due to
We will consider our goals met if our project can
successfully provide a minimum of 30 Fijian children on
the island of Taveuni with access to an educational, safe,
healthy kindergarten environment. There are many ways
to objectively measure this success, Including data
regarding the number of Fijian children attending
kindergarten in Taveuni, the amount of available drinking water for kindergarten students and their teachers,
the number of children continuing on to primary education, and the achievement of educational standards set
by the Fijian government.
a lack of resources. What this means is that children walk miles in order to get to the local school or stay at home with their family. According to AusAID’s 2011 Industry Briefing, the many of the schools
that do exist, particularly those in remote locations, do not have a
safe water supply, proper sanitation facilities, and are subject to the
risks of damage from poor maintenance. We are first aiming to build
our kindergarten classroom for approximately 30 Fijian kindergarten
students and one instructor. Specifically, our innovative design provides continued sustainability through the composting toilet and
water catchment systems. In addition, our design allows for the option of collecting water for the larger community with two large
5,000L containers. With our analysis of averages over the past 50
years’ rain data, we were able to calculate that our catchment system
will have be over or near capacity every month. We have also already completed a designed prototype of easy-to-build sink
which will be installed in both the restroom and one of the shipping containers. In the next three months, our team needs to
finalize the wind stress calculations for the roof and perform computational structural analysis for our foundation design. As for
future important milestones, the team is looking forward to the selection of a site and reconnaissance trip in order to make any
vital changes to the design before final implementation. Our hope is that within the next 18 months, construction will be completed and instruction will have begun. Once we are able to implement the team will be able to make assessments on the
longevity and possible improvements to the functional design. This is in order to make final design revisions to implement a
working model for other villages. Within the first two years of operation we are hoping that from our design implementation we
can inspire at least two villages or companies to invest and build more kindergartens. In providing a safe, healthy, and educational learning environment, an individual has the tools to not only excel academically, but to also learn the importance of said
opportunities in their community and establish a strong basis for progressive and educated community involvement.
Assumptions & Givens
According to the Pacific Education Development
Framework, a policy developed by an ongoing
forum of Pacific countries education Ministers:
“High quality early childhood care and education programs can benefit countries by promoting cognitive
performance of young children, increasing the efficiency of primary and secondary education, contributing to future productivity and income, reducing costs of health and other public services, reducing gender inequalities and increasing female participation in the labor force.”
Driving Forces
Although there is not a significant amount of research on early
childhood development in the Pacific, the few existing studies
have shown that investment in early childhood care and education has a high social return and has a large influence on the
likelihood of the completion of primary schooling. The Pacific
Education Development Framework continues on to say that
the further development of early childhood care and education
is a “key priority” and calls it “the initial access point to lifelong
learning” (Pacific Education Development Framework).
Currently, the timeline set by the Loloma Foundation is
what motivates our team to complete this project within the
next year or so. According to Dr. Lance Hendricks, our primary
contact and President of the Loloma Foundation, the Foundation has sent shipping containers holding medical supplies to
Fiji in the past, so the acquisition of the container will be a process that is familiar to them. Once we have secured the purchase of the two shipping containers, our project will be ready
to be put into action.
Our project currently has the support of the Loloma
Foundation, the UC San Diego Global Teams in Engineering Service program, and the Fiji Kinde Project. The resources provided
by the Loloma Foundation are not solely monetary; they also include strong ties to the Fijian community. This existing relationship is important in gaining the trust of the local community so that we can more easily secure the local support necessary for
our project to be a success.
We also recently received feedback for our project from the Fiji Kinde Project, an organization that specializes in establishing kindergartens for Fijian children. Their partnership with the Ministry of Education of Fiji is as follows: the Fijian government
provides the building to be used as a classroom and two capable instructors that they can train; in return, the Fiji Kinde Project
trains the instructors and organizes donations of supplies for the learning activities provided for the children. Upon consulting a
representative from the Kinde Project regarding our design, we were able to receive the valuable perspective of the educators
themselves. Their main requirement was to have a design that would be practical in all aspects.
If we were to receive funding by prevailing in the USD Social Innovation Challenge, we would use it to help finance an assessment trip to Taveuni. In addition to physically surveying the area so that we can better designate a specific area in which to
build, the team would benefit from the opportunity to immerse itself in the local culture and witness first-hand the availability
and range of local resources. The team has obtained as much second-hand familiarity with Fijian culture as is possible, in order
to create a design that utilizes local ingenuity and respects local customs and traditions. The team has integrated local practices
and solutions, such as louvered windows and composting toilets, into our design. We understand that ease of adoption and
cultural acceptance is the first step in accomplishing our short and long term goals. The team has also worked to create a sustainable design that will utilize materials that can be found in Fiji. Locally available resources are considered a priority in our design process. This is in order to ensure that we contribute to the economic development of Fiji. Moreover, if and when repairs
are needed, the materials can be easily found. The team has also created detailed cost analyses based on local prices in order
to have an accurate estimate of the total cost.
We have yet to determine an exact location where we can establish our first kindergarten. Once the team has determined
a location we will need to obtain site approvals from the local communities and approval for the establishment of a kindergarten from the Fijian Ministry of Education, the process for which is defined by the Ministry’s Policy in Establishment and Recognition/Registration of Schools.
Potential conflicts during the construction and maintenance of the kindergarten building have been addressed within our design. The tropical climate in Fiji is known for its frequent natural disasters, such as earthquakes, floods, storms, and droughts
(PreventionWeb, 2014). However, the kindergarten is designed to withstand these occurrences and if not, the structures can be
easily reproduced at low costs. The foundation of the kindergarten is designed to withstand floods and earthquakes. The shipping containers will be raised and welded to reinforced concrete footings to avoid flooding and contamination of the shipping
containers. In addition, a reinforced slab-on-grade concrete will be built for the play area in between the two shipping contain-
Resources and Necessities
In the next three months, our team needs to finalize the
wind stress calculations for the roof and perform computational structural analysis for our foundation design.
We will also optimize our sink prototype. We hope to
conduct a site assessment in September in order to optimize and perform final revisions on our overall design.
The shipping containers are scheduled to arrive in Fiji,
loaded with supplies in 2015. These supplies will be unloaded and the shipping container will be transported to
Taveuni by ferry.
Our project currently has the support of the Loloma
Foundation, the UC San Diego Global TIES program, and
the Fiji Kinde Project. The resources provided by the
Loloma Foundation are not solely monetary; they also
If we were to receive funding by prevailing in the USD Social
Innovation Challenge, we would use it to help finance an
assessment trip to Taveuni. In addition to physically surveying the area so that we can better designate a specific area
in which to build, the team would benefit from the opportunity to immerse itself in the local culture and witness firsthand the availability and range of local resources.
The team has obtained as much second-hand familiarity
with Fijian culture, as is possible, in order to create a design
that utilizes local ingenuity and respects local customs and
traditions. We have also integrated practices and solutions,
such as louvered windows and composting toilets into our
design.
We understand that ease of adoption and cultural acceptance is the first step in accomplishing our short and
long term goals.
include strong ties to the Fijian community. This existing
relationship is important in gaining the trust of the local
community so that we can more easily secure the local
support necessary for our project to a success.
We also recently received feedback for our project from
the Fiji Kinde Project, an organization that specializes in
establishing kindergartens for Fijian children. Their partnership with the Ministry of Education of Fiji is as follows:
the Fijian government provides the building to be used
as a classroom and two capable instructors that they can
train; in return, the Fiji Kinde Project trains the instructors
and organizes donations of supplies for the learning
activities provided for the children. Upon consulting a
representative from the Kinde Project regarding our design, we were able to receive the valuable perspective of
the educators themselves. Their main requirement was
to have a design that would be practical in all aspects.
Sustainability
Innovator Capacity and Readiness
Affirming Our Dedication
It is readily apparent that we, as a team, are fully dedicated to this project[T12] . Over the past year we have been meeting
numerous times a week working on the design, and painstakingly looking at every small detail of our project. In terms of the
future, we currently have a team that has been hard at work for a year making tweaks to the design and there is no reason that
this determination will stop. In order to take advantage of the large team we currently have (18 members), we have split into
multiple subteams that are responsible for different parts of the project. Each of these sub teams meets twice a week, for an
hour or two, in order to discuss new ideas regarding a certain part of the school. Then two more times a week, we meet as a
whole team to share any advances each of the subteams has made, and then share ideas across teams. Overall (not counting
individual work), our teams are meeting for four to five hours minimum to discuss the project. This pattern will continue for the
foreseeable future.
Since we are working in coordination with our partners, the Loloma Foundation[T14] , we have access to people who
have been on the ground in Fiji multiple times. The knowledge they have been able to provide has given us a good idea of
what little things we can do to make the school appropriate to the Fijian culture. Things such as student desks are not used in
Fiji, so we chose to instead keep the space more open in order to allow for “group circle” discussions[T15] . Another “project
champion” or “champions”, would be the faculty at UC San Diego. On numerous occasions we have been able to approach
professors of different disciplines to get their input on our designs. One example of this was when we were trying to decide on
whether to use a flat cement foundation, or to use pillars at each of the strong points of the container. After consulting with a
structural engineering professor, we were advised to go with the pillars based on his own past experiences[T16] . Since we are
surrounded by brilliant people, we should do all we can to seek their advice when needed.
Team Organization and Commitment
Resources and Project Champions
It is readily apparent that we, as a team, are fully
Since we are working in coordination with our partners, the
dedicated to this project[T12] . Over the past year
Loloma Foundation, we have access to people who have
we have been meeting numerous times a week
been on the ground in Fiji multiple times. The knowledge
working on the design, and painstakingly looking at
they have been able to provide has given us a good idea
every small detail of our project. In terms of the
of what little things we can do to make the school success-
future, we currently have a team that has been hard
fully assimilate into the Fijians culture. Things such as stu-
at work for a year making tweaks to the design and
dent desks are not used in Fiji, so we chose to instead keep
there is no reason that this determination will stop.
the space more open in order to allow for “group circle”
In order to take advantage of the large team we
discussions. Another “project champion” or “champions”,
currently have (18 members), we have split into
would be the faculty at UCSD. On numerous occasions we
multiple subteams that are responsible for different
have been able to approach professors of different disci-
parts of the project. Each of these sub teams meets
plines to get their input on our designs. One example of
twice a week, for an hour or two, in order to discuss
this was when we were trying to decide on whether to use
new ideas regarding a certain part of the school.
a flat cement foundation, or to use pillars at each of the
Then two more times a week, we meet as a whole
strong points of the container. After consulting with a
team to share any advances each of the subteams
structural engineering professor, we were advised to go
has made, and then share ideas across
with the pillars based on his own past experiences. Since
teams. Overall (not counting individual work), our
we are surrounded by brilliant people, we should do all we
teams are meeting for four to five hours minimum
can to seek their advice when needed.
to discuss the project. This pattern will continue for
the foreseeable future.
Project Operating Models
The Fiji Kindergarten project was initiated under the
auspices of the Global TIES program at UC San Diego, a public institution. Global TIES projects are faculty-advised but student-driven. As a team, we collectively determine the project’s direction. Global
TIES provides a small supplies budget to each team,
and we decide how these resources are allocated. Funding is generally not provided for student
travel; we must help raise the funds for our assessment and deployment trips. Our project has a faculty
mentor with whom we work closely.
In order to best benefit the local community, ownership of the project should belong to the public[T18] . This is due to numerous reasons, including the fact that in the
end it is up the community to support and make full use of the school that is being provided. If this project was privatized, the very people we are meaning to help will not have direct control over their school.
In terms of our organization, we most closely resemble an informal model[T19] . The reason that the project benefits the most from this model is because we can contact our partner (the Loloma Foundation) and get a response
very quickly. If the Loloma Foundation were a larger organization[T20], we would resemble a formally registered
organizational model.
Goals and Earnings
The goal of our project is to educate the children of Fiji, which means that there will not be
any profit made when it is implemented. Due
to this reason, any money accumulated would
be from charities, and there would be no
wealth distributed (since our project is not
earning money). However, we want to encourage others to donate to the cause. Fiji Kinde
Project and the Loloma Foundation use much
of their donations to help furnish and supply
students needs. For example the Loloma Foundation has worked with Volcom to provide several hundred backpacks to students.
Project Team and Core Expertise
Individual Expertise and Skill
With 18 people, each with a different societal and ed-
Partners and Collaborations
our members have been able to use their expertise in
Our two most important operating partners will be the
Kinde Project and the Loloma Foundation. The Kinde Project has allowed us to figure out what an average kindergarten structure would need to provide the children . The
Loloma Foundation on the other hand, has given us “eyes
on the ground” in Fiji. Through their knowledge of Fiji, we
have been able to specialize this container to their specific
needs.
The Loloma Foundation has offered to provide the con-
Solidworks (to design and test the school structure),
tainers necessary for this project, as well as transporting the
fluid mechanics (to measure wind forces on the con-
containers to the target location. Despite these facts, with-
tainer), and used our knowledge of chemistry to seek
out our help, the Loloma Foundation does not have the
out the best type of water filtration. Using these skills,
engineering knowledge (or time) to contribute to the edu-
we have been able to model the structure on the
cation problem currently in Fiji. .
ucation background, we are able to cover all of our
bases for this project. More specifically, we have members who have an expertise in environmental engineering, economics, chemical engineering, structural
engineering, nanoengineering, aerospace engineering,
and mechanical engineering. In terms of actual skills,
computer, and build physical demos for things such as
a handwashing station. We will continue to use these
skills to modify and correct any problems that we have
in the future. Any experience that we are not qualified
for, will be acquired from those who are. Since we are
working at a university, professors are at hand if we
need to verify any information for our project. We also
can communicate with our partner at the Loloma
Foundation for specific details regarding the implementation in Fiji.
Eventually, we will require additional construction expertise and skilled workers in order to physically implement our project. We will acquire this additional construction expertise through our client’s contacts in Fiji.
External Links
Early Childhood Care and Education in the Pacific
http://www.usp.ac.fj/fileadmin/files/Institutes/pride/
Workplans_and_Reports/Paper_and_publications/ecce/davila.pdf
The Fiji Times ONLINE: “Little Ones Walk to School”.
http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=151040
Fiji Education Sector Program Independent Completion Report
http://www.oecd.org/countries/fiji/48473721.pdf
Policy in Establishment and Recognition /Registration of Schools
http://www.paddle.usp.ac.fj/cgi-bin/paddle?e=d-010off-paddle--00
-1--0---0-10-TX--4-------0-11l--11-en-50---20-png---00-3-1-000-0-0-11-0utfZz-8-00&a=file&d=fj35
Pacific Education Development Framework
http://www.paddle.usp.ac.fj/cgi-bin/paddle?e=p-010off-paddle--00-1-0---0-10-TX--4-------0-11l--11-en-50---20-fiji---00-3-1-000--0-011-0utfZz-8-10&a=file&d=pifs046
PreventionWeb Fiji Disaster Statistics
http://www.preventionweb.net/english/countries/statistics/?cid=60
The Loloma Foundation
http://www.lolomafoundation.org/