What to give

Off to Vanuatu next week and looking for suggestions as to suitable gifts. I'd much rather give to schools than to individual kids - but I don't want to be weighed down like a packhorse! People say books and pencils are always welcome but has anyone come up with other clever ideas that have gone done well? (I'm coming from Sydney.) I'm thinking of going to a few islands like Nguna, where a previous poster said it's a good idea to bring village chiefs a gift. But what? A few other people have said food. Australian junk food is probably not wise! What sort of things are in short supply?

Frisbees are light and don't take much space-you can buy Kava roots in Port Vila for Chiefs.

Terrific suggestions - thanks hardnose.

If you on a sporting theme, a soccer ball would see more use. All the men like soccer.

We always take sunglasses or x2 glasses.
There is little optometry on the islands and as the eyesight of elderly people starts to fail without glasses they are unable to read.
There appear to be a fair number of albinos about and the sunglasses will protect their sensitive eyes.

Last time we took a heap of glasses and people were delighted by them. We pop them in their top pockets as we go to leave.

Inflatable globe.

Educational, doubles as soccer ball, very very tiny when not inflated (and you get to show them where you live too)

• Emma

Thanks, people. In the end I took some frisbee rip-offs and half a dozen those amazingly bouncy super-balls. Went down a treat. Ni-Van kids must be the most relaxed, easy-to-please, never-bored, un-neurotic children in the world.