"The children were so enthusiastic and proud to show us their lessons and their program. They shared their goals and aspirations with us. As education is a key factor for all children, this is a most important project."

Esther Knipper— Surprise, Arizona

Ratu Filise Memorial School

Getting an education is a challenge in the best of circumstances, but perhaps it's even more so for the children who attend the Ratu Filise Memorial School on the Coral Coast of the Fiji Islands. Here, children may walk miles to attend school at a concrete, tin-roof structure that lacks even such basic tools as pencils, paper, textbooks, and markers.

Located in the rural village of Korolevu, the school provides an education to more than 400 children, from kindergarten through the sixth grade. Grand Circle travelers who visit the school are immediately taken with the dedication of the school's teachers, parents, and students. "Our Program Director, Maree Leslie Greenwood and her father worked on upgrading the restroom facilities," recalls Jane and James Martin, 7-time travelers from Ogden, Utah. "We saw her before and after pictures. She was so proud!"

Grand Circle Foundation provided a grant to help with the construction of a new kindergarten classroom and the addition of much-needed toilet blocks. What thrilled the community most, however, was the construction of a new school library, which had its official dedication in September 2007.

School in session:

Year round, with vacation periods from late April through early May, late August through early September, and early December through mid- to late January

Gifts to bring if you're visiting:

• Workbooks
• Reading books
• Pens and pencils
• Shoes
• Clothing