Kiwa Empower expands climate resilience to 20 Vanua Levu communities, including Naivaka and Karoko
Summary: Fiji’s Kiwa Empower Project is extending support to coastal communities in the North, including Naivaka and Karoko, to bolster infrastructure, food security and resilience through nature-based solutions and NGO partnerships. The effort builds on broader regional work to protect vulnerable communities from the impacts of climate change.
Most coastal communities in Fiji’s North continue to bear the brunt of climate change, despite ongoing infrastructure projects and requests for action from authorities. In Karoko, village headman Iowane Brocard notes that while engagement with NGOs through Integrated Village Development plans has grown, many needs remain. He says seawalls and other protections have suffered hits from ongoing coastal pressures, but he’s grateful that Kiwa Empower and partner NGOs are stepping in to help communities fulfill those plans.
In Naivaka, representative Sovaia Dakunivosa highlights the fragility of local food sources when communities rely on the sea for sustenance. “Right now, in Naivaka more people are going fishing but less planting, so that is one area they will help us with, and we are so grateful to be selected,” she said. She also points out that women and children bear the heaviest burden when natural disasters strike.
Both Naivaka and Karoko are among 20 communities in the North set to benefit from the Kiwa Empower Project for Fiji. Kiwa Empower is part of the Kiwa Initiative, a regional effort funded by multiple partners to strengthen climate resilience through training and nature-based solutions. In Fiji, the program focuses on areas such as conservation, disaster risk reduction, food security, gender equality and social inclusion, water resource management, and health.
This regional initiative is supported by international partners and has previously connected communities with broader climate resilience work, including nature-based approaches that protect shorelines and bolster food security. The North’s communities are poised to gain from engagements that combine local leadership with NGO expertise, aiming to deliver lasting improvements even when hard infrastructure is challenged by weather and rising seas.
Analysts note that the Kiwa Empower approach aligns with wider Fiji and Pacific strategies that emphasize nature-based solutions to coastal risk, sustainable livelihoods, and inclusive growth. By integrating local knowledge with technical guidance and external funding, communities like Naivaka and Karoko can pursue holistic resilience—protecting homes, safeguarding livelihoods, and empowering women and families to participate in adaptive projects.
A spokesperson for the program underscored that Kiwa Empower is designed to be collaborative and community-led, with ongoing partnerships among villages, NGOs, and government partners. The effort also complements other coastal resilience work across Fiji, including seawall and water-security projects in other districts, reflecting a broad push to strengthen communities against climate threats.
What this means for communities: The Kiwa Empower project offers practical support for vulnerable coastal villages, combining training, planning and hands-on nature-based solutions to reduce risk while improving food security and livelihoods. By prioritizing inclusive participation, the program also aims to ensure women and young people have opportunities to contribute to resilience efforts.
Outlook: The collaboration between village leaders, NGOs, and regional partners signals an optimistic path for the North’s coastal communities. As climate impacts persist, these coordinated efforts—centered on sustainable, locally led solutions—aim to deliver tangible protections for homes, gardens and livelihoods, while fostering hope and resilience for the years ahead.
Additional context for readers: This initiative is part of a wider regional push to bolster climate resilience in the Pacific through nature-based solutions and inclusive development. Similar programs have emphasized mangrove restoration, living seawalls, and community-driven projects to address environmental and health challenges in coastal communities, illustrating a growing commitment to sustainable adaptation across Fiji’s northern regions.
Note for editors: If following up, consider reporting on how Naivaka and Karoko monitor progress, which NGOs are most active on the ground, and early indicators of impact on food security and coastal protection. A brief explainer on how nature-based solutions are being implemented in these communities would also add valuable context for readers.
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