The Anglican Missions team visited Yalava and Waidradra Settlements on April 15, 2026. The visit was a huge encouragement to the team as well as a testament to the resilience and determination of the communities living there.
Fiji continues to experience regular cyclones, heavy rainfall, and severe flooding, especially in informal settlements. Both communities commented on the impact of flooding in their villages and expressed a deep desire to find WASH solutions that are resilient to the effects of climate change. The WASH project within these two settlements is scheduled to be completed by the end of the 2026 calendar year.
Yalava Settlement
New Ablution Block, Yalava Settlement
In Yalava settlement, the installation of two new ablution blocks is almost complete. Each ablution block has been constructed using cinderblocks and robust piping to ensure that it is resilient to severe weather. Within each ablution block there are two toilets that are gender-separate, as well as two showers and a laundry basin. Our contracting partner, MMM Fiji, as well as local community volunteers, have suggested that another few days of work is all that is needed before the ablution blocks are completed.
Prior to the construction of the ablution blocks, the community utilised a single pit toilet and tin-walled shower, or the nearby river, for drinking water and sanitation. Community members expressed relief at the new facilities, which are more central, accessible, and dignified.
Village Leader Aliki shared an account of how the ablution blocks have improved the life of his own family. The previous pit latrine was located down a steep dirt slope, which got extremely muddy in the rain. For Aliki’s aging father, he explained, the trip was too difficult and required Aliki to carry his father down the slope on his back. Reflecting on this, Aliki expressed his relief at having the new ablution blocks, which are more accessible to the elderly and people with disabilities.
Waidradra Settlement
Church Latrines, Waidradra Settlement
Existing Latrine, Waidradra Settlement
When the Anglican Missions team arrived in Waidradra, the community was excited to show them the maintenance they had completed on the latrines behind the Anglican church, which are now fully functional. The Anglican church leaders recently signed an agreement with other churches across the community, committing to a shared responsibility to maintain WASH infrastructure and work together to improve community dignity.
Community leaders then showed the Anglican Missions team around the settlement, pointing out existing water tanks, latrines, and showers in need of extensive maintenance, as well as areas which required additional infrastructure for nearby families. Several community members in Waidradra who have extensive training in infrastructure installation expressed a desire to both participate in project implementation and undergo training in WASH maintenance and healthy hygiene practices.
The project in Waidradra is set to begin soon and to be completed by the end of the year. The community is currently completing needs assessments regarding which WASH infrastructure can be fixed to a functional level, versus which areas require newly installed facilities. The project will involve the installation of several ablution blocks and several water tanks for emergency storage. It will be a highly collaborative project, involving the whole community (specifically consultations with women and girls and people with disabilities), MMM Fiji, and relevant WASH experts to ensure project effectiveness and longevity.