Page 27 - IB May 2024

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Women Promote Resilience in their Communities

Women’s Resilience to Disasters (WRD) is an initiative to behind. Hence, the request to femLINKpacific for the WRD
strengthen women’s resilience to disasters and threats, which is funds to assist in training and equipping these rural, disabled
inclusive of climate change and COVID-19. There are two main women to learn practical skills that not only empower them, but
objectives for the WRD programme: also increase their earning capacity. Additionally, the women
have planted about 100 Voivoi (pandanus) seedlings that are
1. To adopt a gender-responsive decision making and governance intended to be a source of income too.
system.
2. To enable targeted action in building the resilience of women 2. Raj Moti Lal Women’s Club
and girls. Located in one of the busiest and notorious residential
landmarks in Suva, the women of Raj Moti Lal women’s Tavua Women Living with Disabilities Raj Moti Lal Women’s Club
Supported by the Australian government, the WRD programme is club determined in themselves to also contribute to building
currently implemented in the Pacific – in Fiji, Kiribati, Vanuatu and resilience in their community. The desire led to their request for
the Solomon Islands; advancing women leadership and gender- assistance from femLINKpacific to help with general cleaning 3 4
responsiveness in global risk reduction and climate change, and clearing of their drainage systems that have always led to
enabling environments and frameworks. constant and continuous flash flooding in the area. Execution
and implementation of their plans and actions have come
In Fiji, UN Women is partnering with femLINKpacific in this in handy, especially in these recent heavy falls. Members
regard, whereby femLINKpacific receives Expressions of of the community have voiced how grateful they are for the
Interest (EOI) from interested women groups, together with the assistance, which has enabled them to experience a flood-free
necessary requirements. UN Women, through femLINKpacific, neighborhood after a very long time.
then funds the approved projects, at the same time monitoring
the progresses until completion. 3. Soqosoqo Vakamarama Tobulevu
Climate change has not only affected landscapes, but has
Prior to the issuance of funds and commencement of the even distorted income-earning sources for the members
projects, femLINKpacific had conducted a one-and-a-half day of Wainigadru village in Cakaudrove. For this reason, the
orientation and training where the sub-partners were taken women’s group sought assistance from femLINKpacific to
through a comprehensive coverage of all the requirements by the fund a Voivoi (pandanus) planting project. They have planted
organisation and also by the Donor – UN Women. more than 2000 seedlings which will be their source of income
in the years to come. The choice (Voivoi) is based on the
femLINKpacific is pleased to announce its first set of Sub-Grantee concept that you plant once, but harvest every year for the Soqosoqo Vakamarama Tobulevu Navakuru Women’s Club
partners: next 30 plus years. Interestingly, all the members of the village
(men, women, children, youths) unite in the execution of this
Grantee Partner Location Description of Activity project. The Voivoi plants are growing well and the women
5
1. Tavua Women Tavualevu - Livelihood and skills are anticipating a harvest of at least 10 leaves per plant from
October this year, and the harvest is expected to roll every
Living with village, Tavua training
Disabilities - Poultry farm training and month for the next 30 years.
Voivoi (pandanus)
planting 4. Navakuru Women’s Club
- Bee-keeping training Seeing that inclusivity is crucial in every community, the
2. Raj Moti Lal Raiwai, Suva - Cleaning and clearing of Navakuru Women’s Club requested funds from femLINKpacific
Women’s Club drainage areas that to help improve their evacuation centre which is expected to
constantly and accommodate the whole village at the height of a natural
continuously causes disaster, at the same time improving accessibility for people
flash flooding in the area living with disability. This includes the construction of 2 extra
3. Soqosoqo Wainigadru - Planting 2000 Voivoi rooms to sleep women and girls during a disaster, as well
Vakamarama village, Tawake, (pandanus) seedlings as the installation of proper bathrooms and lavatories which
Tobulevu Cakaudrove is not currently factored in the existing evacuation centre.
4. Navakuru Women’s Navakuru - Construction and What makes the project even more worthwhile is the fact that
Club village, installation of Navakuru village is located across a river. An interesting and
Cakaudrove accessibility features and inclusive initiative making sure that all community members
child-friendly amenities look out for each other and work towards preparedness and
in the already-existing resilience to disasters.
evacuation centre
5. Yadua Women’s Yadua, Nadroga - Construction of seawall 5. Yadua Women’s Club – Bright Morning Star project
Club - Bright to avoid beach erosion, For so long, the people of Yadua have been appealing to
Morning Star improve safety, and for authorities for the renovation or re-make of the village seawall, Yadua Women’s Club – Bright Morning Star project
Project coastal preservation which had run down more than 30 years ago. Despite the
fact that the run-down seawall has caused loss of lives over
the years, their pleas seem to have fallen on deaf ears until
Brief Background and Update of Each Project femLINKpacific accepted their application. The seawall will All these communities have expressed their heartfelt gratitude to femLINKpacific
1. Tavua Women Living with Disabilities stop beach erosion, preserve the Yadua coastline and ensure
In villages and communities, it has always been the vulnerable the safety of the Yadua community. The construction was a little and the UN Women for this kind gesture. Not only will the projects aid in their
who are left behind in almost all life situations. For the Tavua delayed due to the adverse weather condition in the month of
Women Living with Disabilities, inclusivity is paramount, and March, but it is now completed and the whole community is preparation and resilience in times of disasters, they will also be saving lives.
they desire to move ahead together with no one being left appreciative of the initiative.

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