WOMEN | Rebuilding lives

After almost four years of living in temporary shelters, the women of Nabavatu Village are preparing for a new chapter in their lives, and with it, an entirely new way of living.

In January 2021, Tropical Cyclone Ana unleashed torrential rain and severe flooding across Fiji, triggering a devastating landslide that destroyed the homes of Nabavatu Village in Dreketi, Macuata. Overnight, the community was uprooted.

About 85 families were initially relocated to the Dreketi Assembly of God Church compound for safety. Over time, some families managed to rebuild or move elsewhere, but 37 families remain at the temporary site to this day, including more than 30 women who form the backbone of the Nabavatu Women’s Club.

Now, thanks to the support of the Government, construction has finally begun at their new permanent village site inland, and the families are preparing to move again and this time, to what will become their forever home.

But with that excitement comes uncertainty. For generations, Nabavatu has been a coastal village, and the community’s livelihood and food security have always depended on the sea.

Women gather shellfish and other seafood, and sell their catch to earn income to support their families. The move inland will mean a dramatic shift from sea-based to land-based living, and with it, the need for entirely new skills and ways of sustaining themselves.

This is where Soqosoqo Vakamarama iTaukei Macuata (SVM) has stepped in to support the transition.

Building resilience through leadership and livelihoods

Working closely with the Nabavatu Women’s Club, SVM is implementing the project.

“Building Resilience and Empowerment: Advancing Women’s Leadership and Livelihoods in Macuata Province,” supported by Women’s Fund Fiji under its thematic area of Climate Justice and Humanitarian Action.

The project focuses on helping the women adapt to life after relocation and supporting them to develop new land-based livelihood opportunities, while also strengthening their leadership, recovery, and resilience.

The women have already completed trauma counselling sessions facilitated by SVM, an important step in healing from the sudden displacement they endured.

They are now beginning basic life skills and livelihood training to prepare them for their new inland environment.

President of the Nabavatu Women’s Club, Mereseini Sovi, reflected on the challenges and hopes of this transition.

“We need to learn new skill sets and acquire new knowledge because of the shift from the coastal areas to inland,” Mrs Sovi said.

“We will need to now learn all those things. I am thankful that through this project, we are preparing ourselves for moving into our new home and we hope Soqosoqo Vakamarama Macuata will continue to work with us and help us build resilience.”

Supporting women, advancing

equality

Women’s Fund Fiji continues to support grantee partners like Soqosoqo Vakamarama iTaukei Macuata, who work tirelessly with vulnerable women in rural and climate-affected communities to build resilience, leadership, and long-term security.

Investing in women’s leadership is not just about recovery but it is about advancing gender equality.

When women are empowered to adapt, lead, and rebuild after disasters, they uplift not just their families, but entire communities.

This is feminism in action, ensuring women’s voices, needs, and knowledge are at the centre of rebuilding and resilience efforts.

Women’s Fund Fiji applauds the women of Nabavatu for their resilience, Soqosoqo Vakamarama iTaukei Macuata for standing with them every step of the way, and New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade for their support of this program.

The organization remains committed to amplifying women’s voices in communities like Nabavatu and ensuring they are not left behind in the face of climate change and relocation.