DEFENCE MEDIA RELEASE
Issued by Ministerial Support and Public Affairs, Department of Defence, Canberra, ACT
Media contact: 02 6127 1999, Fax: 02 6265 1545
MSPA 491/10
Tuesday, 19 October 2010
ADF engineers help rebuild a flood-affected Pakistan school
Nine Australian Defence Force engineers deployed on Operation Pakistan Assist II have
joined with the Pakistan Military and local national contractors on a project to reopen a local
school in Kot Addu.
The engineers spent two days conducting repair and construction work at the Government
Boys’ Centre Primary School, which had been damaged by the floods.
Lieutenant Cameron Hawkins, from the 2nd Combat Engineer Regiment (2CER), said the
engineers linked into the Pakistan Army’s reconstruction efforts in the area to identify which
building to work on.
“The school we chose was under 1-1.5 metres of water during the flood, which brought a lot
of silt and debris into the buildings. That also affected the foundations, the perimeter wall and
the main building,” Lieutenant Hawkins said.
“The Headmaster had an idea of what he hoped to achieve during the reconstruction program,
so we worked closely with him to achieve what we could with our resources.”
After clearing the site - removing all the debris and silt - the engineers put in a new concrete
floor and repaired the leaking roof to make the building safe for staff and students.
Lieutenant Hawkins said the engineers were proud to get out and make a difference.
“It was a really good experience for the guys, working in a foreign country with the locals and
being able to pass on their skills gives a sense of pride to the guys doing the work.”
“To rebuild a school and make it usable so that more kids can go there, obviously helps in the
future development of the country.”
Field engineer Sapper Dane Chiswell, from 2CER, said the reconstruction work was a good
opportunity for the engineers to learn from each other.
“The school needed a bit of bricklaying done so the boys and I built a brick wall so they could
set up a hard standing outside the classroom for the kids.”
Sapper Chiswell said it felt good to help out the local community.
“There is a lot of destruction out there, so to go out and help rebuild a school for the locals is
a good feeling.”
The engineers deployed on Operation Pakistan Assist II are a part of the Australian Medical
Task Force located in flood affected Punjab region of Pakistan.
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