Approximately 2000 people live on Ontong Java. There are two main villages where the population is concentrated with 1,386 on the island of Luaniua in the eastern end and 689 on Pelau in the northeast. This isolated island is 24 hours by boat from the nearest port, which means that provision and help is significantly more challenging to provide.
Tend
Treasure
Transform
In a partnership with the Anglican Church of Melanesia, the aim of this project is to enhance the inhabitant’s resilience and well being so that they can not only survive these events, but thrive in their environment.
The project has a 2 year timeframe and covers three critical areas:
The New Zealand government is committing approximately $240,000 NZD to the Ontong Java Resilience Project.
This funding requires the participating organisation to contribute financially to show investment into the project. For Anglican Missions, this will be approximately $52,000 NZD.
That means that for every $1.00 NZD we contribute, the government is contributing approximately $5.00 NZD.
This focusses on revitalising and scaling up farming practices that are resistant to the effects of climate change. That includes an emphasis on permaculture (adopting the elements that make local ecosystems flourish into new agriculture). It also includes capacity building and teaching for local farmers in order to equip them with modern techniques and farming practices.
To address water scarcity and sanitation challenges, the project will expand rainwater harvesting systems, providing reliable access to safe drinking water. It will also introduce appropriate sanitation facilities and promote hygiene awareness, particularly benefiting women and girls.
Community-based disaster preparedness programmes will include early warning systems, emergency response plans, and training on disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation strategies. This will empower communities to effectively respond to and recover from natural disasters, which are increasing in frequency and severity.
Your donation strengthens the partnership between us and the New Zealand Government, and will directly help our Pacific whānau who are affected by climate change in a devastatingly routine way.
