V.S.A. helped by Chch gift

Press, 6 April 1989, Page 9

V.S.A. helped by Chch gift

Volunteer Service Abroad will fund two projects in Africa through the generosity of a retired Christchurch engineer. Both projects — in Botswana and Tanzania — could not have been included in the V.S.A. calendar without the help of Mr Guy Powell, aged 83, of Merivale. Mr Powell, a long-time supporter of V.S.A. who has funded previous work in Africa, stipulated that his latest donation should be used for projects which would not otherwise go ahead.

He believes New Zealand’s overseas volunteers are performing invaluable work in stimulating self-reliance in undeveloped countries. “We are really so very fortunate living in a country like that that the least we can do is try to help those not so well off to become self-supporting,” Mr Powell said. In Christchurch yesterday, Mr Powell met the two people who hope to carry out his ideals over the next two years. Mr Brian Rangitaawa, of Christchurch, will take up a position as carpenter-joiner in Botswana and Ms Margaret Lenniston, of Wellington, will become a women’s community development officer in Tanzania. Mr Rangitaawa, aged 37, will work with the Botswana Brigade in Mochudi, one of a number of vocational training centres catering for school drop-outs and people without job skills. A cabinet-maker by trade, Mr Rangitaawa has worked in a number of woodworking industries since finishing his apprenticeship and will assist the local brigade manager in Mochudi. He admits he has little idea of what to expect. Ms Lenniston, a trained nurse and a lecturer in women’s affairs at Victoria University, Wellington, is heading for the town of Moshi in the Kilimanjaro region of Tanzania where she will work with the regional community development office.

Both volunteers are scheduled to leave in May A-