Outside their classrooms, over twenty students and classroom teacher Patrick Kelly from the Yap Catholic High School (YCHS) along with Waa’gey volunteers were clearing under a shady tree that will become their carving site for the next few months.

A fallen log that had been cut down during the initial clearing of the new school campus was identified for the students to carve their fist canoe.

Before all the carving took place, Larry Raigetal of Waa’gey gave some safety tips on how to handle carving tools including adzes.  A brief lecture was also given on core principles and fundamental values of canoe carving.  The students waste no time is getting their first hands on experience by starting to carve out the main hull of the canoe.

The project which had been in discussion between Waa’gey and YCHS for the past few months was put into motion following a school visit by Waa’gey volunteers where a presentation was given to students on the values of traditional skills including canoe building and navigation.  Mr. Kelly who teaches at the school said the project will also allow students, particularly those who are skilled in hand work to carve other things such as the school seal and crosses to be put on the classrooms.  “The students are very excited in doing this extracurricular work “said Mr. Kelly

This is a historical project as it could be the first canoe ever carved out by high school students on the island.  Furthermore, the fact that more than half of the student participants are female presents quite an interesting scenario, said Raigetal of Waa’gey.   While the process of canoe carving lays out specific roles for both genders, actual carving is one carried out by the men.  Waa’gey is also considering bringing its weavers under the project.


The project allows Waa’gey carvers to visit the school once a week and work with the group.  However, at some later stage of carving, and as dictated by carving procedures, more frequent visits and work on the canoe will become necessary.

Waa’gey is a community-based organization founded by local s and chartered under Yap state laws.  Waa’gey uses traditional skills to confront the social, economic and environmental challenges faced by the people of Micronesia’s most remote islands. Both Yap Catholic and Waa'gey are proud partners of the US-based Habele, a small nonprofit serving students across Micronesia.
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Habele, a US-based charity, has inaugurated a computer science education program on the Micronesian island of Pohnpei. With the financial assistance of donors Barbara and Ray Dalio, Habele has begun shipping computers, software, and related accessories to Our Lady of Mercy Catholic High School in Pohnpei.

The charity is working closely with Sr. Isabel Seman at Our Lady of Mercy to build the most appropriate computer lab possible for the school’s needs.

“The idea is to teach students the information technology skills they will need the rest of their lives,” said Neil Mellen, a director of Habele. “The twenty-first century is going to be online, and high school students in Micronesia need to start preparing for that reality now.”

Habele has sent the school Mac computers, monitors, peripherals, and the most common commercial software applications students will encounter. The choice of Macs rather than PCs will help familiarize Our Lady of Mercy students with the types of computers used at most of the higher education institutions in the western Pacific, assisting students with the often-difficult transition from high school to university.

Habele aims to provide the school with a total computer package: all the equipment needed to set up a first-rate lab, plus assistance with the installation.



“So often in the past, Micronesia has seen poorly-targeted or poorly-implemented aid projects,” said Mellen. “Our donation to Our Lady of Mercy is different. These are exact computer systems the students need, and we’re sending out a local technician in October to make sure it all runs smoothly.”

Habele board members and volunteers will also conduct periodic site visits to work with the school on its computer science program.

Since 2006, Habele has provided scholarships to K-12 students in Micronesia to attend private schools in the country such as Our Lady of Mercy Catholic High. The scholarship program has provided access to classroom education for dozens of low-income students annually, but now the charity wants to increase access to computer training as well.

“The traditional student skills—your reading, writing, and arithmetic, if you will—are still an important part of our mission,” said Mellen. “But we’re realizing more and more that students need fluency with computers and the internet as well if they’re to be full participants in the twenty-first century.”


Due to its remote location, Micronesia has historically lagged behind other countries in terms of access to information technology. Habele aims to change that on Pohnpei.

“Students around the world have a natural interest in computers. Micronesian students are no different. The stumbling block in Micronesia has been access to top-of-the-line equipment, and we’re grateful to the Dalio family for their help in rectifying that lack in Pohnpei,” said Mellen.

With its focus on local partnering and targeted education, the Habele-funded computer lab is the first of its kind in Micronesia, and is different from previous efforts to bring computers to the islands—efforts that have sometimes been less than successful due to insufficient cooperation with local schools or bureaucratic encumbrance.

“No more used computers showing up in boxes, unannounced and unsupported,” said Mellen. “That’s not how Habele operates. We’ve identified a need, and we’ve worked out a program to address it directly. We’re not part of the US aid program, we’re not part of the FSM government. This is a hands-on, results-oriented approach to education assistance.”

Habele was founded by former volunteer teachers to fill in gaps left by the US-funded public education system in Micronesia. With its focus on direct assistance and its close monitoring of education outcomes, Habele operates with an efficiency that government programs often lack.

Those interested in supporting Habele’s efforts can learn more online at www.habele.org.


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Written by Duane M. George of the Pacific Daily News

Some youths in Yap will wear real high school sports jerseys for the first time ever.

Habele, a U.S.-based charity, sent custom-designed sports uniforms to Yap Catholic High School and SDA School, two private high schools in Yap, according to a news release from the charity.

Habele has been working with the two private schools for years, providing scholarships to needy students, supplying the robotics program and making the targeted donation of library materials.


The uniforms -- the first of their kind for both schools, the release stated -- will help inaugurate intramural sports leagues at both schools. Previously, the students crafted crude jerseys out of old T-shirts by spray-painting numbers using handmade cardboard stencils, the news release states.

"We're tremendously excited to be helping the high schools with their nascent sports programs," said Alex Sidles, a Habele director. "These uniforms will give the students a lot of pride and enthusiasm for their schools."


The new uniforms feature the schools' names and colors on one side and can be turned inside-out to reveal a white side.

Basketballs, volleyballs - Habele also will send high-quality basketballs and volleyballs to each school.
"Sports are such an important part of growing up to be a healthy, well-rounded adult," said Sidles. "It's a real pleasure to help these schools out with that."


The sports program is the charity's first initiative in this field and was made possible by Habele's donors and volunteers, the release stated.

To learn more or to help Habele's educational mission, visit www.habele.org.


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US-based charity Habele has sent a collection of sports uniforms to Yap Catholic High School and SDA School, the two private high schools on the Micronesian island of Yap. The uniforms, the first of their kind for both schools, will help inaugurate intramural sports leagues at both schools.

“We’re tremendously excited to be helping the high schools with their nascent sports programs,” said Alex Sidles, a Habele director. “These uniforms will give the students a lot of pride and enthusiasm for their schools.”  Previously, the students had been crafting crude jerseys out of old t-shirts by spray-painting the cloth beneath handmade cardboard stencils.

The new uniforms feature the schools’ names and colors on one side—light blue for Yap Catholic, maroon for SDA—and can also be turned inside-out to reveal a white side. The American made reversible jerseys allow the schools to set up teams within their own campuses.

“These are really good uniforms,” said Sidles. “We had them custom designed and crafted for each school. I’ve seen the student athletes play at these schools, and they deserve the best equipment we can get them.”


In addition to the uniforms, Habele will be sending high quality basketballs and volleyballs to each school. “Sports are such an important part of growing up to be a healthy, well-rounded adult,” said Sidles. “It’s a real pleasure to help these schools out with that.”

The two schools are not yet scheduled to play regular matches against one another, but Sidles said he is hoping for a couple of exhibition games during the school year. One possibility is to incorporate an exhibition game into the Yap Robot Day festival. The two schools’ robotics teams compete against each other on Robot Day, and it might be possible to showcase a game between their sports teams at the same event.

“The uniforms just open up more possibilities for public games, intramural leagues, competitions between schools, whatever you can think of,” said Sidles. “I played basketball for my high school, and it was one of my favorite parts of the high school experience.”

Habele has been working with the two private schools for years, providing scholarships to needy students, supplying the robotics program, and making the targeted donation of library materials. The sports program is Habele’s first initiative in this field and was made possible by Habele’s US-based donors and volunteers, including Barbara and Ray Dalio of Connecticut. Those interested in learning more or in helping Habele’s educational mission can visit www.habele.org.




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Waa’gey founder and volunteer Mr. Larry Raigetal gave a presentation to the Council of Tamol (chiefs) from the neighboring islands of Yap on the ongoing activities of his group's work.

Waa'gey is a Habele supported extracurricular program. It uses a mentorship model to support at-risk high school aged students through the instruction of traditional cultural skills.

Following a brief introduction from Andy Tafileichig, the acting Chairman of the council, Mr. Raigetal provided a brief summary of what the program mission and objectives were.  He said, Waa’gey is premised on the need to protect and safeguard our dynamic cultures by providing hands on opportunities in canoe carving, rope making, fish trap making, and weaving among others for the younger generation of the state.   Raigetal also briefed the councilmen on Waa’gey’s key partnership with two foreign entities namely a US based charity organization Habele and Yapital a European company. He said both organizations have been very supportive in providing tools and equipment to support Waa’gey in addition to providing scholarships for Yapese students attending private primary and secondary schools.


Following the brief summary, a lively discussion including questions and comments were entertained. The consensus of the councilmen was that the program is vital to the need to preserve the dynamic cultures and traditional skills of the islands by keeping the future generation of the state engaged.  The group felt that COT must be encaged and get more involved in the project including being on the organization’s board of directors, an idea that is much welcomed by Waa’gey.  It was also discussed by the group and agreed that support from the main island is critical as the program is for the entire state of Yap.  As such, it was shared amongst the members that the Council of Tamol must give its support to the program as it is in line with its own mission to protect our culture.

The councilmen also expressed appreciation for the scholarship program extended from Habele and assure of their future support in encouraging their island students to apply.


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US-based charity “Habele” has begun shipping books to the Micronesian island of Pohnpei as part of a statewide public literacy project. The books include reference materials, cultural research literature, and regional histories. There are also texts dealing with local languages, arts and plants. The books are headed for high school and public libraries, where they will be available to both students and the community at large.

Neil Mellen, a Habele Director, explains: “Public access to topically relevant works is limited. There aren’t bookstores, and many people don’t have the money or the computer access to buy books through the Internet. Brick and mortar libraries may be on the decline here in the US, but in Micronesia, they’re still the cornerstone of a well-read, educated public.”

The donation -nearly a thousand hand-chosen texts- ranges from scholarly collections of source documents detailing early western contact with Micronesia, to children’s books about traditional and contemporary arts in the Pacific. There are also detailed reference guides to local fishes as well as fiction and poetry books by native Oceanic authors. Support for the effort was provided by Habele’s US network of volunteers and donors, and in particular, Ray and Barbara Dalio of Greenwich, Connecticut.

“There’s a huge hunger in Micronesia for the printed word,” said Alex Sidles, another Habele Director. “Micronesia is a society of readers. What’s been lacking in the past is wide access to quality educational literature, and we’re doing something about that. Focusing on content that is relevant is key to drawing a broader selection of readers into the libraries.”


Founded in 2006 by former Peace Corps Volunteers, Habele prides itself on its hands-on approach to assistance projects. By donating books and other materials directly to the schools and libraries, the organization avoids the lengthy delays and financial overhead that sometimes plague government-run literacy efforts in Micronesia. As longtime Habele volunteer Matthew Coleman said, “The key to literacy is simply reading. Our group puts good books in people’s hands and let them do the rest.”

The carefully assembled donations are headed to the Pohnpei Public Library as well as libraries at Calvary Christian Academy, Our Lady of Mercy Catholic High School, the SDA High School and Pohnpei Island Central School. Habele’s approach will be work with the libraries and schools, determines what works, and then reinforce success. “If we get detailed and constructive feedback from the local partners,” said Mellen, “then many more books and materials will be sent later in the year.”


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Mary Dorothy Alexander Vickers

Dorothy “Dot” Vickers, 91, of Winchester, Virginia, passed on to the Lord, August 27, 2013, at Consultant Nursing Home in Woodstock, Virginia.

Mrs. Vickers was born in Shelby, North Carolina, December 27, 1921. Mrs. Vickers attended Western Carolina Teachers College in Cullowhee, North Carolina. She was a member of the Opequon Presbyterian Church in Kernstown, Virginia. She supported educational activities all of her life.


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Photo: Students working at Yap Catholic High School. YCHS is one of eight schools across Yap, Chuuk and Pohnpei where Habele supports students through it's tuition scholarship program.

US-based charity Habele has announced issuance of its annual tuition K-12 scholarships to students across the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) this week. The scholarships are awarded to low-income and high-performing students to attend the K-12 school of their family’s choosing.

The scholarships cover seventy-five percent of a student’s tuition at one of eight participating schools in three of the FSM’s four states. The students primarily come from rural communities and remote outer islands. Habele’s scholarships allow them to attend the highest quality private schools in the country, which tend to be located on the larger islands that serve as state capitals.

“Habele is very proud to announce our 2013 scholarship recipients,” said Neil Mellen, a Habele Director. “Thanks to our generous donors, we’re going to help over forty students this year; nearly twice the number that we supported last year.”

The increase in scholarship allocations was made possible by a combination of individual and institutional donations from across the United States and Europe. Special support came from Ray and Barbara Dalio of Greenwich, Connecticut as well as from the Luxembourg based corporation “Yapital.”


Photo: Parents and students on Yap attended a Habele workshop in order to learn about the scholarship program and to receive support in completing their applications.

“We’re very grateful to our donors,” continued Mellen. “People have been more generous than ever—we’ve had contributions from American civil servants, scuba diving tourists in the islands, and former Peace Corps volunteers. In particular, we’ve received just tremendous levels of support from Barbara and Ray Dalio, who visited Pohnpei and Yap last year, and from Yapital, a European financial services corporation that just launched this summer.”

Habele, an all-volunteer group, has been awarding scholarships to primary and secondary school students in Micronesia since 2006. Each student is required to provide Habele with copies of his or her report card, a thank you letter, and a photograph during the course of the school year. New applicants also submit details of their family’s financial situation, and those applying to renew their scholarships must re-submit their application forms each year.

Photo: Scholarship recipients and their families meet with Habele Directors and Donors on Yap to celebrate students' report cards.

“We’re investing in these students,” said Mellen. “That’s our mission: to take a promising young man or woman, one who may not have access to quality education due to life circumstances, and give him or her the best schooling we possibly can. These are the young people who will grow up to lead Micronesia.”

“A scholarship is not a handout,” agreed fellow Director Alex Sidles. “Not only are the families of our scholars contributing their share to the tuition costs, but we see our scholarships as an investment in the future of the FSM. It’s good for the students, and it’s good for the country.”

Tuition checks will be mailed out to the schools in the coming days, and parents of successful scholarship applicants will be notified by mail at the same time.

Those interested in applying for a scholarship or supporting Habele’s work in Micronesia can learn more online at www.habele.org.

This week a delegation of traditional culture experts from the Waa’gey organization travelled  to Yap Catholic High School for a presentation to the summer school students. Volunteers Joe Paiyar of Fachailap and Selestine Retewailam of Satawal spent several hours at the school talking to the students about canoe carving and traditional navigation.

Waa’gey founder Larry Raigetal accompanied the volunteers to supplement their presentations and provide translation into English when needed, and Habele member Alex Sidles was also present to talk to the students about scholarship opportunities.

Although most of the students at Yap Catholic were from Yap State, the Waa’gey presentation was for many the first time they had learned in detail about the various skills and practices required to build and operate a traditional sailing canoe. According to the Waa’gey members, such knowledge is in danger of being lost as society in Yap changes. As Raigetal explained, the purpose of Waa’gey is to remind young people of their heritage, even as they face the future.


Raigetal used the metaphor of a canoe to explain the value of teaching students cultural knowledge: “When a canoe is sailing toward a distant destination, the navigator always looks back at the point of departure to estimate how fast the canoe is drifting due to ocean currents. If he didn’t look back, he would have no reliable way of reaching his destination. We at Waa’gey  teach traditional skills as a way of giving young people the means to look back on where they came from, even as their lives take them to new places or new countries. Without a firm understanding of who they are, they would be as lost as a canoe that didn’t take note of its point of departure.”

Joer and Selestine illustrated their presentation using model canoes, sketches of canoes under construction, star charts, and wave pattern diagrams. Although the information was new to most of the students, they absorbed the concepts quickly. “Now you’re ready to a sail a canoe,” Selestine joked at the end of the presentation , although in fact it takes many years of study to acquire the full range of necessary skills.


Raigetal invited any interested students to come to the canoe house in Colonia and spend time with the Waa’gey volunteers who work there. “The canoe house is yours as much as it is ours,” said Raigetal, addressing the students. “Everything we do is for the purpose of teaching young people, so please come by any time you like!”


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In a simple traditional launching ceremony held at the Yap living history museum canoe houses, Larry Raigetal of Waa’gey thanked the invited guests for honoring Waa’gey carvers and volunteers by making time to attend the ceremony.  He went on to explain the ceremony, in a typical traditional setting, is one of several, and the final event to mark the completion stage of a canoe carving process.

“Hefaifoi” as the ceremony is termed usually allows for free flow of traditional knowledge and skills as well as criticism of the completed canoe by other master craftsmen present at the occasion.  The canoe marks the second sailing canoe completed by Waa’gey.

 Attending the ceremony were Lt. Governor Tony Tareg, several local master canoe carvers along with Waa’gey carvers and volunteers.  Special guests attending the ceremony included Yapital CEO Mr. Nils Winkler, Maren Winkler and their two sons Lex and John Winkler. Mr. Alex Sidles of Habele was also on site to attend the ceremony.  “This is a very important ceremony that attests to Waa’gey ‘s successful effort in ensuring that valuable knowledge passed down for many generations is kept intact by the future generations of Yap.  These skills are at high risk of being lost as modernization of these islands increases.  Waa’gey is doing the right thing in allowing this transfer of skills. We at Habele are happy to be part of this effort ,“ Sidles said.


Waa’gey is a locally chartered nonprofit organization that uses traditional skills to confront the challenges of tomorrow. Other components of Waa’gey projects include women weavers who are teaching younger girls such valuable skills.



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