Villagers in Vunaniu, Serua celebrated last week with the inauguration of four water tanks, each with a capacity of 10,000 liters. These tanks are a donation from the Canada fund to the Locally Managed Marine Area (LMMA) Network Fiji, providing a vital new water source for the community that previously relied on a nearby creek.
Inoke Tuiwanunu, the program director of LMMA, announced that this initiative is part of the Vanua Sautu program. This program not only includes the water tanks but also provides a greenhouse nursery, around 2,000 mangrove plants, and approximately 1,000 native trees to the village. Tuiwanunu highlighted that Vunaniu Village is the first to receive assistance under this program since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The donation made today aims to address the villagers’ water challenges during inclement weather,” Tuiwanunu explained. He noted that villagers used to trek about 300 meters to the creek for washing and that the new tanks are designed to store enough water—40,000 liters—to support the community in the event of reservoir damage or water shortages.
In addition to supplying water, the organization will also provide financial literacy training for the villagers. Tuiwanunu stated, “Our focus extends beyond just conservation; we are also committed to economic empowerment, which is why we will be implementing financial literacy training.”