Climate change, location and the topographical nature of Tonga leaves communities vulnerable to the devastating impacts of natural disasters.
Since 2017, CARE has been working with partners across Tonga – including Live and Learn, MORDI Tonga Trust, and Talitha Project, to help build communities’ resilience to natural disasters and the worsening effects of climate change, and to ensure emergency supplies of food and water are available during these times. From the effects of tropical cyclones to volcanic eruptions and tsunamis, we have supported our local partner organisations to assist more than 15,000 people across the country.
Humanitarian response to volcanic eruption and tsunami
On 15 January 2022, Hunga Tonga–Hunga Haʻapai, an under-sea volcano in Tonga, erupted and subsequently caused a tsunami. Water and air quality as well as infrastructure was affected on the nation’s largest island, Tongatapu.
Families lost their homes, crops and livelihoods which required immediate response and support from CARE’s partner organisations in Tonga: MORDI Tonga Trust and Talitha Project.
CARE Australia provided shelter materials for those whose houses were damaged, clean water, and dignity kits for women and girls – which contained locally-sourced hygiene items – all of which were distributed by Talitha Project. Supplies were also prepositioned in readiness for future emergencies.
“Everyone was calling our office asking for assistance: government officials, district officers, families, everyone came to us for help. Because we know our communities, we were able to rapidly assess the most pressing needs and shift our focus to address them,” said Akanesi Pohiva, a staff member with Talitha Project.
The Talitha Project
In Tonga, CARE partners with Talitha Project to equip adolescent girls to contribute to a resilient economy and society.
The Tonga Young Women’s Economic Resilience (TYWER) project is being piloted in three locations – two communities on the main island of Tongatapu and St Joseph’s Community College in Ha’apai. The Talitha Project team have adapted the Village Savings and Loans (VSLA) approach specifically for adolescent girls in Tonga. This includes engaging with community leaders and families, providing life skills trainings to girls to boost self-esteem and confidence, training on financial literacy and management, and support for them to establish income generating activities, which will contribute towards the girls’ and their families’ long-term goals.
The Talitha Project installed a sewing hub at St Joseph’s to support girls’ livelihoods and income generation skills. The sewing hub was launched by Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Tonga and Niue, His Eminence Soane Patita Paini Cardinal Mafi. Fifteen students are taking part in this initiative learning financial literacy, including how to set up savings and leverage loans to improve income generation. Talitha Project is working towards having the sewing club’s training recognised as part of the Level 1 curriculum, which would enable students to stay longer in their home community before moving to the main island for further studies.
“I am thankful to be part of TYWER. I enjoy learning about financial literacy, how to budget and save. I am able to manage my money wisely for my ‘needs’ not my ‘wants’. Before, every time I got my hands on money I would spend it on junk food. I should have saved that money for something more useful. This program helps us young girls to set goals and manage finances responsibly to achieve those goals,” says Siutiti Faka’osifolau, who is a TYWER project participant at St Joseph’s Community College.
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