• The New Zealand Children’s Health & Education Trust was formed in 2000 to assist children in communities who suffer from malnutrition and health problems caused by poverty or lack of education.
• In conjunction with Dr Henk Meuzelaar who had identified similar issues facing his NGO Project MARC (medical assistance to remote communities)The trust provided two 70 tonne trading schooners to supply medical equipment and personnel to the most remote islands of Vanuatu.
• For seven years our work was primarily aimed at supplying urgent and immediate healthcare, transporting doctor, nurses, dentist and medical supplies to the remote and cutoff islands, building outpost clinics and training local aid post workers. Transporting patients who were in need of surgery to the Port Vila Hospital and collecting information and data for the Vanuatu Ministry of Health.
• This work was completed pursuant to a Memorandum of Understanding with MOH Vanuatu. By 2007 our interventions had achieved some stability in the urgent healthcare requirements in the areas in which we worked.
• Since 2007 the Trusts work has built on these initiatives, sitting with the people, living with the people and taking our initiatives directly from them. Creating opportunities for them to decide what sustainable programmes and enterprises they need to raise the standard of living for their people, and to assist with education programmes initiated and supported by the people and assist with the much needed transport facilities to the areas.
• Since 2007 NZCHET has been working to assist the people of Vanuatu with environmentally and economically sustainable project that assist in the field of health, education, sanitation, hygiene, solar power and community enterprises. NZCHET has facilitated three major enterprises on the island of Uluveu.
• 2008 established and built the Palm Project Soap Factory. This was primarily to eradicate the island of the ever increasing scabies problem and now the soap factory is a community enterprise buying the coconut oil from the local women. Palm Project soap is sold in NZ at the 34 Trade Aid shops all over NZ.
• 2010 established and built the Uluveu Builders & Carvers Workshop. The workshop is producing furniture for the local community and are making their way to self determination and self reliance.
• 2012 establish and build the first RO (reverse osmosis) Solar Desalination Plant in Vanuatu, Uluveu Nuwai Pavilion. The Uluveu Workshop was employed to constructed the building, install the new tanks and plumbing, install the equipment and work alongside the Australian and NZ experts.
• 2019 the Uluveu Nuwai Pavilion established an ice business. Primarily so the pavilion would be financially independant but also to assist the islands fishermen and women to get their catch to market fresher therefore, ensuring a better price for their catch. This will help raise the standard of living for many of the community
• 2023 Three years on from the world lockdown and NZCHET returns to Uluveu to commence the long awaited project at Sangalai Medical Clinic & Nurses Accommodation. The goal was to upgrade the nurses accommodation and to supply water and lights to the clinic, which services over 3000 patients. This project initiated by the Local Clinic Committee and Council of Chiefs was halted due to the pandemic lockdown. With a local fully trained nurse now living at the clinic this project had become a priority, given the makeshift arrangement and substandard conditions for treating the residents of Uluveu and the surrounding islands. The clinic and accommodation lacked running clean water and lights. This is a sever health and safety issue given the clinic delivers services at all hours, including night births. The previous arrangement was to use torches which are vastly inadequate to what is required for the health and safety of the mothers and their babies, should complications arise. This project was completed by the end of July 2023, there is still a long way to go to insure the residence of South Malakula are able to get the medical attention they need.