During 2005, CQU Adjunct Senior Fellow Lynn Zelmer spent several weeks in Port Vila as an Australian Business Volunteer, helping to improve the quality of training offered by Edwards Computer Foundation (ECF), the only indigenous (ni-vanuatu) computer training organisation in Vanuatu.

Vanuatu, a relatively isolated Pacific island country with very high transportation and communication costs, has many needs. Lynn was particularly impressed by the potential of ECF’s after-school program for children and youths and believes that it is worthy of continued support.

Financial support from the North Rockhampton Rotary Club will help provide some image and creative writing-related computer hardware (printer, scanner, camera, etc.), software, and consumables.

There is also a need for related training materials, particularly books and manuals that support the creative use of computers for communication, programming, web design and similar topics written at an appropriate level for teenagers.

Lynn is collecting such materials at his CQU office (G.05, Building 354, CQU Rockhampton, 4702) and will organise to forward appropriate materials to Vanuatu. Any materials collected that aren’t immediately useful will be donated to Lifeline.