The village of Liku has started a major community project to re-roof and renovate its church and village hall building. Located in the centre of the village inside a white rock wall, the northern side of the building is the church, and to the southern end is the village or community hall.
Liku Church Deacon Sionetasi Pulehetoa who is also the Chairperson of the Village Council told BCN News that the building was built in 1980 and the roofing was installed a few years later before the church and village hall was officially opened in 1985.
Over the years, the structure has endured four decades of harsh weather conditions including several cyclones. Recently the members of the community have noticed the leaking was getting worse and decided to start the process of raising funds to begin the re-roofing.
Mr. Pulehetoa said that families contributed by selling fund-raising raffles to help with the project but the major costs of building materials were provided by the government.
The costs of the roofing materials and other materials would be paid from the government grant of $50,000 and a $5,000 contribution from the Ekalesia Liku.
Tasi Pulehetoa said that the village and the Ekalesia are looking forward to the completion of the project which will also see the upgrade to the lighting of both the church and the hall.
The Ekalesia is planning to install a plaque with the names of the pastors who served the Liku village, a project they also want to officially launch along with the blessings of the major renovations of the church and village hall at the end of this year.
The building contractor for the project is Milne Tanu’s Southwest constructions but it’s very much a community project, with other builders from Avatele joining in to lend a hand.
BCN is always looking for community stories like this so we would like to hear more about these large community projects, if you know of village projects happening please email esther.pavihi@tvniue.com or sariah.magaoa@tvniue.com