Saonleo - Clothing manufacturing and training facility

Why was it initiated?

In 2021, spurred on by the unfortunate demise of Raga, Narelle and Debra Gigina (the first manager of Raga) began exploring alternate options to keep school uniform manufacturing on Pentecost island, train local young people in clothing manufacture and in managing a small business.

What are its aims?

What's happened so far?

The site has been selected by Haniel and Debra and they have approved the architectural and engineering plans

The construction technique is better adapted to cyclones and earthquakes than the local builder's usual approach. Several meetings, including in-country, have been held to go over these and a detailed, step-wise building plan sent and discussed. . 

Building materials began to arrive in June. However, inter-island transport is slow and not all have arrived as of the beginning of August 2024.

Air Vanutau went into liquidation in May 2024. With no viable inter-island flights, the improved communication equipment donated by Hunter New England Health sits in the Digicel offices in Port Vila.    

Who has been involved?

Primary: Haniel and Debra Gigina (North Pentecost), Narelle and John Cassey (MESCH)

Since planning started 2 years ago, many wonderfully generous people have helped. At various crucial times, each of these people kept things moving when frustrations and barriers threatened to sink the idea. 

        Concept and design

Stewart McEwan(Director, Vanuatu Homes) provided contacts for suppliers and put us in touch with Mike Johnson (Vanuatu builder).

Sam Cashman (Project Manager, Hunter Wharf and Barge) provided initial concept drawings.

Todd Bailey (Principal, Senior Structural Engineer, Northrop Consulting Engineers) provided engineering advice and patiently revised this when unexpected barriers emerged.   

Daniel Bills (Senior Structural Draughtsperson, Northrop Consulting Engineers) provided architectural and structural drawings.. and then multiple revisions.

         Building

There have been 3 major issues to navigate:

                    Many construction materials commonly used in Australia are not available in Vanuatu or go by different names.

                    Our local Pentecost builder is unfamiliar with some modern techniques.

                    It takes a very long time to get materials to Pentecost. You cannot simply get in a car and pick something up from the local supplier. Hence, every single thing had to be accounted for.   

We, therefore, owe enormous gratitude to:

Mike Johnson (Vanuatu builder) helped navigate numerous questions regarding supplies and local practices.

John Clark (plumber) advised on sewer and drainage. 

Peter Cassey (Cassey McAllon builders) spent countless hours making and revising materials lists as well as painstakingly reviewing each building step.

          AND some very special Vanuatu suppliers who put in long hours of unpaid work.

William Walter (Santo Hardware) 

Wayne Lance (Manager, Vila Distribution) 

Ben Sands (Principal, Vanuatu Agricultural supplies) who advised on more things than I can recall - almost all of which had nothing to do with his actual business :-). 

         Power

Darren Stemphelet (principal, Solar Technology & electrical) gave general advice on solar. 

Landon Blacket (principal, Zero Grid) spent 2 long sessions reviewing energy advice and quotations.   

Charlie Davis (principal, Savvy Solar) patiently expanded our knowledge of Vanuatu solar options and went well beyond expectations of a supplier.    

Welling and Crossley assisted enormously with generator options.

What do we need to advance this?

Assistance with airfares

Want to find out more?      Please email