A new chapter of resilience has begun for the small island of Ahkamb in South Malekula, with the launch of another two major community projects — the Ahkamb Community Nursery Hub and a Water Resilience System.

Home to over 300 people, Ahkamb Island continues to take major steps for long-term resilience towards clean water access, food security, and sustainable forestry for its future generation.

Glarinda Andre, Country Manager of Live & Learn Vanuatu, which led the initiatives, said the new nursery hub will help the community address key environmental and food challenges.

“The resilience nursery will address food security and at the same time help restore degraded areas , dark bush, and areas where the ocean is weak,” she said.

Acting Director of Forestry, Godfrey Bome, officially launched the nursery hub, highlighting the importance of forestry in people’s daily lives.

“Today, the full community sits under a tree , a natural shade , and this tells a story of forestry. Even when you put firewood under your cooking pot, you’re benefiting from the resources God has blessed us with,” he said.

The event also saw the launch of a water resilience system, including large water tanks installed around the island, with a total capacity of over 50,000 liters.

Germain Ludvaune, Secretary General of the Malampa Provincial Government, said the new system will serve as a lifeline for the community as they have experienced salt-water intrusion.

“Ahkamb is vulnerable to dry seasons. The salt water from the ocean rises inland and affects clean water that we need and this is a challenge,” Ludvaune said.

“The water resilience system introduces rainwater harvesting, allowing us to manage and store water safely so that we have enough throughout the year”.

Local resident also chair to the Ahkamb Water Resilience Committee, Yabeth Obed shared his experience of past struggles during water shortages.

“Life is a bit easier now. In the past, we had to paddle canoes to the mainland, facing strong winds just to fetch water, especially during droughts or cyclones,” he said.

“And this takes us about two hours for each trip”.

Minister for Climate Change, Hon. Ralph Regenvanu was present at the launching of these milestone projects.

He praised Ahkamb’s community leaders for their strong governance behind these projects and emphasized on the importance of sustainable development.

“Developments must ensure that the resources our ancestors have looked after are maintained and improved , raising our quality of life and ensuring access to what we need for a better future for our children,” he said.

The projects were funded by the Government of New Zealand through its Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) and implemented by Live & Learn Vanuatu in partnership with the Government of Vanuatu.