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Resilient Communities

Nature based Solutions (NbS)

Climate resilience

Food preservation

Disaster Risk Reduction

Gender & Social Inclusion

Empowered communities

Let’s ‘be the change’ on World Water Day and beyond

Savusavu, Fiji, 22 March 2023 – Today, children from 10 schools in the Northern Division in Fiji were among the first in the world to celebrate World Water Day by taking part in an oratory and drama contest organized by the Ministry of Public Works, Meteorological Services and Transport and UNICEF. The contest has provided a platform for […]

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CSOs, university help with pandemic recovery

Three Fijian organisations were able to assist thousands of Fijians sustainably navigate the economic challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic through funding provided by USAID. The three were the Foundation for Rural Integrated Enterprise and Development (FRIEND), University of Fiji, and Live and Learn Environment Education Fiji. FRIEND project manager Melaia Salacakau said with the funding, […]

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Groundwater – Making the Invisible Visible

Today, children from 10 schools in Fiji joined others around the world to celebrate World Water Day by taking part in an oratory contest organized by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Meteorological Services and UNICEF to advocate on the importance of groundwater. “Imagine when the top surface of the ground drops so far that the well is […]

Read More
Fiji’s northern communities assured of NZ’s commitment to climate resilient program

New Zealand’s second secretary Constance Minett has assured northern communities of their government’s commitment to the newly-launched Climate Resilient Islands Program. The program, launched in Labasa this morning, will be spearheaded by the Live and Learn team targeting six villages on Vanua Levu – Dreketi, Naiqaqi, Valeni in Cakaudrove, Vitina, Naibulu and Nawailevu in the […]

Read More
NZ to provide further support to CSOs to assist affected families in Fiji

The New Zealand High Commissioner to Fiji Jonathan Curr has announced that they will continue to support civil society organizations to assist vulnerable families in Fiji during the COVID-19 outbreak. This follows the announcement by the New Zealand Minister for Foreign Affairs Nanaia Mahuta in June that they will provide up to $7 million to […]

Read More
78 families residing in Newtown Hart receive assistance from Live and Learn Fiji

78 families living at the Newtown Hart in Suva have received assistance packages from the Live and Learn Fiji organisation. The assistance is funded by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Each family received food ration packs, hygiene and washing kits. One of the recipients was 67-year-old Sera Mataika Ratu and her […]

Read More
UN CERF Supports IOM Response to Tropical Cyclone Harold Devastation in Fiji

Date: 13 November 2020 Tropical Cyclone Harold caused extensive destruction after making landfall as a category 4 storm in the Republic of Fiji on 8 April 2020. Since then, International Organization for Migration’s partnership with the Fijian NGO Live and Learn has supported the ongoing rebuilding efforts by responding to the shelter needs of some […]

Read More
Report: MoneyMinded program significantly strengthened financial knowledge

AN independent impact evaluation report of MoneyMinded, ANZ’s financial inclusion program, has found the program significantly strengthened participants’ financial knowledge, skills and capabilities. According to the findings of the study, 96 per cent of the respondents reported the MoneyMinded program had improved their financial wellbeing – meaning their ability to meet financial commitments, feel financially […]

Read More
Bid for savings culture

A LEADING bank in Fiji has announced its partnership with a dynamic learning network of locally registered organisations operating in the Pacific to deliver its flagship financial literacy program. The ANZ Bank in Fiji has partnered with Live & Learn to deliver ANZ’s flagship financial literacy program, MoneyMinded, to drive a savings culture in communities […]

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Fiji: Food security projects give remote island communities long-term disaster resilience – UNDP

 Remote island communities in Fiji’s Yasawa Islands will be better prepared to have food supplies in times of disaster, even if their crops are destroyed. A new Food Bank project will help villages have a ready supply of food and water, with risk-resilient crops and farming techniques being introduced to help the communities become more […]

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Category: Resilience

Let’s ‘be the change’ on World Water Day and beyond

Posted on by Paradise

Savusavu, Fiji, 22 March 2023 – Today, children from 10 schools in the Northern Division in Fiji were among the first in the world to celebrate World Water Day by taking part in an oratory and drama contest organized by the Ministry of Public Works, Meteorological Services and Transport and UNICEF.

The contest has provided a platform for the children to share their voice and advocate on the importance of accelerating change when it comes to saving their homes from water scarcity as well as water borne diseases – one of the leading causes of death for children under five across the Pacific.

“Water is an essential need to survive, and we all need to take responsibility. Since everything on earth is connected to water, we, ourselves, need to look after it,” said Ethan Rossi, 14, from St. Andrews Primary School who was also the winner of the primary level oratory contest. “I am grateful that a platform like this has been provided for children like myself to be able to lead, inspire, and empower others on the importance of water.”

Approximately 96 per cent of Fiji’s total population has access to improved drinking water. However, while access is good, there is still the need to ensure that services are available on demand, and free from contamination, especially during and after disasters.

“The theme ‘Accelerating Change’ is correct as this is very much the focus of the Government’s development programmes in all sectors including water,” said the Hon. Minister for Health and Medical Services, Dr. Ratu Atonio Lalabalavu. “The theme also seeks to inspire people at different levels and sectors to learn more about water-related issues and to take action to make a difference.”

Students from primary and secondary levels took part, including Savusavu Secondary School, St. Bedes College, Navatu Secondary School, Seaqaqa Central College, Ahmadiyya Muslim College, Khemendra Sanatan Primary School, Nasavusavu Public School, Nasavusavu District School, St. Andrews Primary School, and Muanivatu District School.

The children advocated to key stakeholders, including the media, about how water affects everyone and equally, there is a need for everyone to take action. Families, communities, schools and even children can make a difference by changing the way they use, consume and manage water in their daily lives. This can be achieved as easily as through saving water by taking shorter showers and fixing leaking water pipes.

“While Fiji has made remarkable progress towards improving the lives of Fijians through improved services of water and sanitation, we still must not forget that a third of children in the Pacific do not have access to good sanitation, and one in ten do not have access to safe drinking water,” said UNICEF Pacific Representative, Jonathan Veitch.

“We thank the Ministry of Public Works, Meteorological Services and Transport, and other partners, in supporting UNICEF to provide a platform dedicated to amplifying the voices of children on this critically important topic.” 

This event is supported by the Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management, Ministry of iTaukei Affairs, Heritage and Arts, Ministry for Lands and Mineral Resources, Water Authority of Fiji, Live and Learn and Habitat for Humanity Fiji.

The Ministry of Public Works, Meteorological Services and Transport also acknowledges the valuable support from various donor and key stakeholders for improvements of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Fiji including the Government of United Kingdom, Government of Australia, Government of New Zealand, Government of the Republic of Korea, Government of Japan and the European Union as well as United Nations agencies including WHO and UNESCO. 

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UN 2023 Water Conference:

This week marks the first UN Water Conference in the last 46 years!

Taking place in New York from 22-24 March 2023, the conference comes at a pivotal moment in history, on the heels of a global pandemic that underscored the importance of safe water, sanitation, and hygiene access. The world is also in the throes of a rapidly worsening climate crisis, with water becoming scarcer in some areas due to drought, and dangerously destructive in others through floods and storms. No one stands to suffer more than children.

The Pacific has just recently again seen the result of this first-hand with the recent droughts in Kiribati and Tuvalu as well as the twin cyclones that hit Vanuatu. These are not new for the region, but the weather and rainfall patterns have become more erratic because of the climate crisis over the past few decades.

World leaders, relevant organizations and other participants will convene for the first time in 46 years to review progress toward ensuring access to water and sanitation for all. At the conference, UNICEF is calling for:

  • Rapid scale-up of investment in the sector, including from global climate financing.
     
  • Strengthening climate resilience in the WASH sector and communities.
     
  • Prioritizing the most vulnerable communities in WASH programmes and policies.
     
  • Increasing effective and accountable systems, coordination, and capacities to provide water and sanitation services.
     
  • Implementing the UN-Water SDG6 Global Acceleration Framework and investing in the key accelerators.

About the Fiji Ministry of Public Works, Meteorological Services and Transport:

The Ministry is responsible for policy formulation, planning, design, regulatory, coordination and implementation of programmes, projects and services relating to infrastructural works, utilities (water and electricity), transport (air, road, sea), meteorology and hydrology. 

Similarly, responsible for policy and legislative oversight of the Fiji Roads Authority, the Water Authority of Fiji, the Land Transport Authority, the Maritime Authority of Fiji, and Energy Fiji Limited. The Ministry develops infrastructure that moves people, the economy, and the nation forward. It provides services for the protection of life and property with environmental integrity. 

For more information, please contact:
Mr. Mohammed Nistar Khan, Department of Water and Sewerage, Ministry of Public Works, Meteorological Services and Transport, mohammed.khan@govnet.gov.fj

Zubnah Khan, UNICEF Pacific, Tel: +679 9988137, zukhan@unicef.org

Date: 22/03/2023

CSOs, university help with pandemic recovery

Posted on by Paradise

Three Fijian organisations were able to assist thousands of Fijians sustainably navigate the economic challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic through funding provided by USAID.

The three were the Foundation for Rural Integrated Enterprise and Development (FRIEND), University of Fiji, and Live and Learn Environment Education Fiji.

USAID grant receiptants Melaia Salacakau Project Manager FRIEND , LIVE AND LEARN Fiji Project Manager Kolosa Matebalavu, Women’s, Children and Poverty Alleviation Minister Lynda Tabuya and University of Fiji Lecturer Priyatma Singh at the USAID Pacific American Grant Award Spotlight Event on Tuesday at the Grand Pacific Hotel. Photo: Fiji Government

FRIEND project manager Melaia Salacakau said with the funding, they were able to increase skills for 2300 Fijians through seven livelihood training programs.

“So the different livelihood schemes training (and) intervention that we put together was soap-making training, oil efficient training, food processing activity, food production, compliance training, seafood processing training and sea salt training,” she said.

She said they targeted areas such as Sigatoka, Nadi, Lautoka and the Yasawa Group as they were heavily reliant on the tourism industry.

Ms Salacakau said during the COVID-19 pandemic, the livelihood training greatly assisted people in terms of earning an income and eventually supporting themselves.

“Some of them have been have been selling overseas to family and friends as well as in their community.

“As for the sustainability of the project, FRIEND is putting together an e-commerce platform where all the beneficiaries will be able to sell and market their products globally.”

The University of Fiji, the only grant recipient outside of the NGO and CSO space, worked with two communities in reviving their aquaculture farms for tilapia farming.

Lecturer Priyatma Singh said they noted that during the peak of the pandemic, food security became a concern. They had a non-functioning pond which the university decided to revive through the American Pacific Grant.

“So it’s not just this training centrally, of course, we helped them to upgrade their skills but they also with resources and some very important equipment that was needed for them to sustain the pond,” Singh said.

“So we provided them with the training in a pond preparation activities. We also provided training with the feeding, with harvesting, financial literacy, provided them with the trainings marketing as well.

“One of the other things we have done is incorporated the outcomes of the project into our Environmental Science course at the university.”

Live and Learn Environment Education Fiji project manager Kolosa Matebalavu said they received the grant under the disaster risk management area.

He said through their community programs they realised that the one-size-fits-all approach did not work as it never addressed the needs of everyone in the community.

“When we’re talking about communities that have different groups of people that live in our communities, they have different needs, they have different capacities, they have different strengths and most of the time when we take a one-size-fits-all approach, that’s how people get mixed up, don’t respond to their needs,” he said.

The USAID grants have a duration of 12 to 20 months and are divided into two categories; the small NGOs and CSOs eligible for a funding of up to $US150,000 ($F327,000), while the more experienced NGOs are eligible for a grant ranging from $US300,000 ($F654,000) to $1 million ($F2.18m).

The grant started in August 2020 as USAID assisted Pacific Island countries in their fight against the impacts of Covid-19.

USAID, through various means, has provided Fiji with up to $122 million worth of assistance to combat the negative impacts of the pandemic.

Source: Fiji Times

Date: 10/02/2023

Groundwater – Making the Invisible Visible

Posted on by Paradise

Today, children from 10 schools in Fiji joined others around the world to celebrate World Water Day by taking part in an oratory contest organized by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Meteorological Services and UNICEF to advocate on the importance of groundwater.

“Imagine when the top surface of the ground drops so far that the well is not deep enough to reach it or pump up water, leaving the well dry. Devastating, isn’t it? We need to protect our ground water as it is a scarce resource and living things depend on it,” said Selai Daunakamakama, 14, from Nausori Primary School who was also a participant of the oratory contest. “I am grateful to be given the opportunity to be able to raise my voice today and speak on the importance of this very valuable resource.”

Groundwater supplies a large proportion of the water we use for drinking, sanitation, food  production and industrial processes. It is also critically important to the healthy functioning of ecosystems, such as wetlands and rivers. Overexploitation of groundwater can lead to land instability and subsidence, and, in coastal regions, to sea water intrusion under the land.

“Water is one of the most important and vital resources on earth. All life forms on earth require water to survive. If there will be no water, there would be no life on earth. Water is everything and without water there is no life,” said the Minister for Infrastructure, Meteorological Services, Lands and Mineral Resources, Hon. Jone Usamate. “Having access to safe and clean drinking water is a constitutional right under Fiji’s 2013 Constitution. It is also an ambitious target under Fiji’s National Development Plan which aims for 100 per cent access to clean and safe water to be realized by 2021 for urban areas and by 2031 for rural areas.”

Hon. Minister Usamate added that to achieve this, the Fijian Government has allocated funds through its implementing agencies namely, the Water Authority of Fiji and Mineral Resources Department for rural and urban water projects. While there is a focus on accessing water through surface water sources, groundwater is also explored in areas where surface water easily dries up particularly during dry spell. This is common in most of Fiji’s maritime communities, communities along the coast and some inland.

Students from primary and secondary levels took part in the oratory contest, including Nausori District School, Nausori Primary School, Vuci Methodist School, Vunimono Arya School, Vunimono Sanatan Dharam Primary School, Vunimono High School, Sila Central High School, Lelean Memorial School, Dilkusha Methodist High School and Pt Shreedhar Maharaj College. The students advocated to key stakeholders about how good groundwater management is needed to achieve Sustainable Development Goals to protect, conserve and restore water-related ecosystems. 

“Protecting our groundwater is critical for surviving and adapting to climate change as well as meeting the needs of a growing population,” said UNICEF Pacific Representative, Jonathan Veitch. “We thank the Ministry of Infrastructure and Meteorological Services, and other partners, in supporting UNICEF to provide a platform dedicated to amplifying the voices of children on this critically important topic.”

This event is supported by the Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Ministry of Education, Heritage and Arts, Ministry of Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation, Ministry of Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management, Ministry of iTaukei Affairs, Ministry for Lands and Mineral Resources, Water Authority of Fiji, Save the Children, Live and Learn, Pleass Global Limited, Rotary Pacific Water, Habitat for Humanity Fiji and Partners in Community Development Fiji.

The Ministry of Infrastructure and Meteorological Services also acknowledges the valuable support from various donor and key stakeholders for improvements of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Fiji including the Government of United Kingdom, Government of Australia, Government of New Zealand, Government of the Republic of Korea, Government of Japan and the European Union as well as United Nations agencies including WHO and UNESCO. 

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About Groundwater:

Groundwater is the water found underground in the cracks and spaces in soil, sand and rock. It is stored in and moves slowly through geologic formations of soil, sand and rocks called aquifers. Groundwater is a source of recharge for lakes, rivers and wetlands. An aquifer is a geological formation or part of it, consisting of permeable material capable to store/yield significant quantities of water. Groundwater is a very important natural resource and has a significant role in the economy. It is the main source of water for irrigation and food industry.

For the environment, groundwater plays a very important role in keeping the water level and flow into rivers, lakes and wetlands especially during the drier months when there is little direct recharge from rainfall. This is also essential for the wildlife and plants living in this environment.

About the Fijian Ministry of Infrastructure and Meteorological Services:

The Ministry is responsible for policy formulation, planning, design, regulatory, coordination and implementation of programs, projects and services relating to infrastructural works, utilities (water and electricity), meteorology and hydrology.  Similarly, responsible for policy and legislative oversight of the Fiji Roads Authority (FRA), the Water Authority of Fiji (WAF) and Energy Fiji Limited (EFL).  The Ministry develops infrastructure that moves people, the economy, and the nation forward. It provides services for the protection of life and property with environmental integrity. 

For more information, please contact:

Mr. Mohammed Nistar Khan, Ministry of Infrastructure and Meteorological Services, mohammed.khan@govnet.gov.fj

Zubnah Khan, UNICEF Pacific, Tel: +679 9988137, zukhan@unicef.org

Fiji’s northern communities assured of NZ’s commitment to climate resilient program

Posted on by Paradise

New Zealand’s second secretary Constance Minett has assured northern communities of their government’s commitment to the newly-launched Climate Resilient Islands Program.

The program, launched in Labasa this morning, will be spearheaded by the Live and Learn team targeting six villages on Vanua Levu – Dreketi, Naiqaqi, Valeni in Cakaudrove, Vitina, Naibulu and Nawailevu in the two provinces of Macuata and Bua.

Ms Minett said climate change issues had been discussed many times in the Pacific and such commitment from her government proved they were serious about helping locals.

Live and Learn executive Christian Nielsen thanked the communities for working with his team.

Source: FijiTimes

NZ to provide further support to CSOs to assist affected families in Fiji

Posted on by Paradise

The New Zealand High Commissioner to Fiji Jonathan Curr has announced that they will continue to support civil society organizations to assist vulnerable families in Fiji during the COVID-19 outbreak.

This follows the announcement by the New Zealand Minister for Foreign Affairs Nanaia Mahuta in June that they will provide up to $7 million to local CSOs.

The six civil society organisations are Empower Pacific, Frank Hilton Organisation, FRIEND Fiji, Live and Learn Fiji, Pacific Disability Forum and the Sai Prema Foundation.

Curr says they will be scaling up assistance in communities through the provision of food rations, psycho-social support, personal protective equipment, improvement of nutrition, health, hygiene and sanitation, improved food security, medical support, capacity building and sustainable livelihoods.

He says the target beneficiaries include children, female-headed families and people with disabilities who stand to be most affected by the social, economic and health impacts of the pandemic.

Curr says they have worked with CSOs to support social inclusion and provide tangible assistance to the many households impacted by COVID-19 and they are delighted to extend the partnership.

He adds these organisations have strong networks at a grassroots level and their community-driven approach has helped them identify and respond to needs effectively.

Curr says the CSO partners will be supporting families Fiji-wide however there will be a strong focus on delivering assistance to affected communities in the Central and Western Divisions.

Source: FijiVillage

Date: 19/08/2021

78 families residing in Newtown Hart receive assistance from Live and Learn Fiji

Posted on by Paradise

78 families living at the Newtown Hart in Suva have received assistance packages from the Live and Learn Fiji organisation.

The assistance is funded by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Each family received food ration packs, hygiene and washing kits.

One of the recipients was 67-year-old Sera Mataika Ratu and her 8-year-old granddaughter.

The Social Welfare beneficiary who is wheelchair-bound was emotional when receiving the assistance and says it has brought relief to them in this unfortunate time.

Ratu says they are thankful to Live and Learn and its partners for responding to their needs.

The initiative is in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Health, the RFMF, Empower Pacific and the Fiji Disabled People’s Federation

Source: FijiVillage

Date: 01/09/2021

UN CERF Supports IOM Response to Tropical Cyclone Harold Devastation in Fiji

Posted on by Paradise

Date: 13 November 2020

Tropical Cyclone Harold caused extensive destruction after making landfall as a category 4 storm in the Republic of Fiji on 8 April 2020.

Since then, International Organization for Migration’s partnership with the Fijian NGO Live and Learn has supported the ongoing rebuilding efforts by responding to the shelter needs of some of the most vulnerable households affected by Tropical Cyclone Harold (‘TC Harold’) in Vatulele island and Tailevu province (Western and Central Divisions respectively).

To address the shelter, water and sanitation and food security needs of 200,000 people affected, the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) contributed USD 100,000 to the IOM’s response.

The Category 4 cyclone, which left a trail of destruction in its path with average winds of up to 195km/hr and gusts up to 275km/hr caused substantial damage to dwellings, livelihoods, and critical infrastructure across the country. The devastation caused by the cyclone was followed by heavy rains for several weeks, which added flash flooding damage to the widespread destruction.

The humanitarian response was further impacted by COVID-19 lock-down measures, including national travel restrictions on all inter island transfers which limited access to cyclone affected areas.

A total of 464 households whose shelters were damaged in the Western and Central Divisions are receiving the supplies necessary to rebuild their homes. They are also participating in a Build Back Safer (BBS) training which trains people on building techniques, the identification of safe building locations and how to use locally available materials in conjunction with the items and tools included in the repair kit to rebuild their homes.

According to Vusuya Settlement’s community representative, “learning about how to strap roofs using the material provided is really important as most houses were roofless after TC Harold.”

Source: IOM Website

Link: https://medium.com/@UNmigration/un-cerf-supports-iom-response-to-tropical-cyclone-harold-devastation-in-fiji-593e415eb6cd

Report: MoneyMinded program significantly strengthened financial knowledge

Posted on by Paradise

AN independent impact evaluation report of MoneyMinded, ANZ’s financial inclusion program, has found the program significantly strengthened participants’ financial knowledge, skills and capabilities.

According to the findings of the study, 96 per cent of the respondents reported the MoneyMinded program had improved their financial wellbeing – meaning their ability to meet financial commitments, feel financially comfortable and cope with unexpected expenses.

ANZ Regional Executive Tessa Price, second left, ANZ chief executive officer Saud Minam, Reserve Bank of Fiji governor Faizul Ariff Ali and RMIT University researcher Marica Tabualevu, third from right, with ANZ staff members during the 2019 Moneyminded Impact Report launch at the ANZ House in Suva on Tuesday, October 08, 2019. Picture: JONACANI LALAKOBAU

Speaking during the report launch in Suva today, ANZ Fiji country head Saud Minam said the program supported the Fijian Government and Reserve Bank of Fiji’s National Financial Inclusion Taskforce to improve financial inclusion rates and financial capabilities of Fijians.

“We will continue to support financial literacy because we know that investing our efforts in this area is important. With careful budgeting, planning and the practical life skills that MoneyMinded offers, we can contribute to positive changes in peoples’ lives,” Mr Minam said.

“Around 12,000 people in Fiji have taken part in MoneyMinded training since 2010, helping Fijians develop money skills, knowledge and confidence.”

The program is usually conducted as a one-day workshop with topics including planning for the future, making money last until pay day, needs and wants, budgeting, and assertiveness and learning to say “no”, and participants are encouraged to commit to action after the workshop, the report stated.

According to Reserve Bank of Fiji governor Ariff Ali, “The Reserve Bank’s efforts to increase financial inclusion in Fiji have been well supported by programs like MoneyMinded, which have played a positive role in changing the savings mindset of Fijians. Congratulations to ANZ and all agencies involved in the success of the MoneyMinded program in Fiji.”

The program is supported by Ola Fou, Live and Learn, Digicel, Fiji National University, Fiji National Provident Fund, HART, Paradise Beverages, Republic of Fiji Military Forces and Fiji Police Force.

Source: Fiji Times

Date: 28/010/019

Bid for savings culture

Posted on by Paradise

A LEADING bank in Fiji has announced its partnership with a dynamic learning network of locally registered organisations operating in the Pacific to deliver its flagship financial literacy program.

The ANZ Bank in Fiji has partnered with Live & Learn to deliver ANZ’s flagship financial literacy program, MoneyMinded, to drive a savings culture in communities across Fiji.

ANZ Regional Executive Tessa Price, second left, ANZ chief executive officer Saud Minam, Reserve Bank of Fiji governor Faizul Ariff Ali and RMIT University researcher Marica Tabualevu, third from right, with ANZ staff members during the 2019 Moneyminded Impact Report launch at the ANZ House in Suva on Tuesday, October 08, 2019. Picture: JONACANI LALAKOBAU

MoneyMinded is a comprehensive suite of financial education resources designed by ANZ to assist adults in building their money management skills, knowledge and confidence.

The partnership involves the accreditation of Live & Learn trainers to deliver MoneyMinded to their staff and community members in partnership with ANZ’s MoneyMinded facilitators.

And while the MoneyMinded has gained momentum, the partnership is targeted at strengthening women’s role in the economy at all levels in society.

ANZ Fiji country head, Saud Minam in a statement yesterday, stated the MoneyMinded facilitators would go through rigorous training to become accredited to the high standard expected of the program.

“We’re excited about this partnership that helps spread our program across Fiji even further thanks to Live & Learn’s extensive network,” he said.

“We’re committed to supporting the communities where we operate and we want to make a difference to the lives of all Fijians through increased awareness of the value of aspiring to achieve their goals through better spending habits and saving for their future,” Mr Minam said.

“In particular, we believe that by targeting women’s groups we have the opportunity to make a substantial difference.

“We’ve found that the women really stand out when empowered with the appropriate tools, exposure and training to take charge of their finances.”

Live & Learn executive director, Christian Nielsen, stressed the importance of economic empowerment of women in the Pacific and the development benefits from strengthening women’s role in the economy

“These benefits include equity in participation, governance, health, education and policy development,” he said.

“We are delighted to be working with ANZ in this pursuit and see great benefits to Pacific islanders from this partnership.”

According to ANZ, MoneyMinded has been delivered to more than 10,000 people across the Pacific since its initial launch in the region in 2010.

Live & Learn is a non-government organisation (NGO), who works with communities throughout Asia and the Pacific to design, implement and learn from community-based development projects.

The projects cover a number of thematic program areas including Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), sustainable use of biodiversity, environmental governance, natural resource-based conflict management and peace building, understanding climate change, sustainable energy options, community-based waste reduction and management, human rights and community disaster prevention and preparedness.

Source: Fiji Times

Date: 26/07/2017

Fiji: Food security projects give remote island communities long-term disaster resilience – UNDP

Posted on by Paradise

 Remote island communities in Fiji’s Yasawa Islands will be better prepared to have food supplies in times of disaster, even if their crops are destroyed.

A new Food Bank project will help villages have a ready supply of food and water, with risk-resilient crops and farming techniques being introduced to help the communities become more resilient to climate change and disasters.

This initiative is the result of a partnership with Vinaka Fiji and Commissioner Western’s Office, with support from the Pacific Risk Resilience Programme (PRRP) and its implementing partner Live and Learn Environmental Education (LLEE). PRRP will also support Fiji’s Department of Agriculture to provide agriculture training on resilient crops and food storage, including traditional knowledge approaches.

Seven villages in the Yasawas will be targeted over 2015 for the Food Bank initiative, explained PRRP Local Coordinator for Live and Learn, Lanieta Tokalauvere. This will include crop planting and storage so there is food during a disaster period, plus raising funds for post-disaster recovery.

“The Food Bank starts in Soso and Kese villages of Naviti Island, with committees and ‘Knowledge Hubs’ already in place,” Mrs Tokalauvere said.

“Community members are now clearing the land to prepare it for planting.”

“Knowledge Hubs comprise local volunteers committed to helping people share information and expertise, so residents can be trained and empowered across a range of topics including planting and crop selection, building, and financial management,” she said.

PRRP has assisted Vinaka Fiji in forming the Food Bank, according to Elanoa Vakabunoya Nimacere, Operations Manager for Vinaka Fiji, which is the volunteer programme for South Sea Cruises.

Vinaka Fiji coordinates a volunteer programme to provide basic needs such as fresh water, nutrition, power supply and education to 15 remote communities in the Yasawa Islands.

“Vinaka Fiji is involved in many partnerships with government, with the likes of PRRP, the community and NGOs as we all have a common goal: to assist local communities,” Ms Nimacere said.

“We encourage partnerships like this between the public and private sectors, that look at all aspects of food security and even financial planning, to help people make informed decisions about the Food Bank and all the ways it can help them prepare for a disaster.”

“At the end of the year, when the planting is done, and if there have been no disasters, the money can be banked and stored as an Emergency Fund for use during any future disasters.”
Planning ahead for such potential climate change and disaster related-risks is central to the work of the PRRP, which focuses on how communities, governments, and the private sector can all work together to help build resilience, by embedding risk into planning processes across all levels of governance.

“It’s a real honour for PRRP to partner with Vinaka Fiji, and its private sector partners, given the great work they’ve been doing recently in partnership with the Government in the Yasawa Islands,” says Programme Manager for PRRP, Moortaza Jiwanji.

“The Pacific Risk Resilience Programme aims to strengthen the resilience of Pacific island communities to disasters and climate change related risks. So it makes sense for us to work remotely in the Yasawa Islands, with people who are typically hardest hit by disasters and climate change,” says Mr Jiwanji.

Mr Jiwanji explains PRRP is about more than just helping communities in the short term.

“Food Banks, Knowledge Hubs, financial planning, agricultural training and other aspects of this partnership are very effective initiatives to help Fijian communities become more prepared for the impact of natural disasters and climate change,” he said.

“But there also needs to be a strong planning and governance structure in place to make sure these strategies will be sustainable. Climate change and disaster risk reduction impacts all development in the Pacific, ranging from economics to infrastructure, and so it influences almost every decision made by community, government, local agency or private sector operators,” Mr Jiwanji says.

PRRP works with Pacific Island nations and their people to think about the risks they may face from climate change and disasters when they are making their usual plans for development. Communities can become more resilient to climate change and disasters if routine government, community and other planning takes these risks into account. This risk governance approach is implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and international non-governmental organization Live and Learn Environmental Education (LLEE) and supported by the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). PRRP is being delivered in four countries: Fiji, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu.

For more information, please contact:
Sheryl Ho, UNDP Knowledge Communications Analyst, tel: (679) 322-7504 or email:sheryl.ho@undp.org

Date: 16/07/2021