The Live & Learn Tonga team have been out finalising information gathering for the production of Community Resilience Profiles in the Vava’u island group.

Located 300 kilometres north of the main island of Tongatapu, Vava’u has many inlets, islets and peninsulas, with white beaches set in a coral sea. It is a place of natural beauty, but it has challenges, such as loss of cultural knowledge and loss of male labour through young men travelling overseas for work.

The changing climate is affecting coastlines, as are activities such as illegal sand mining and overfishing.

The CRI team is documenting communities’ local ecosystems, livelihoods and risks, so they can plan for the future and address the issues the communities face. Part of this process is strengthening traditions that have sustained Tongans for hundreds of years, such as local weaving practices.

Climate Resilient Islands is a New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade initiative, implemented by Live & Learn Environmental Education, with funding provided by the New Zealand Government.