On Ifira Island, Wendy and Tony Kalfabun have turned personal loss into a creative mission. After losing half their land and with no more pandanus leaves to weave, the couple began handcrafting jewelry sets using seashells and other local materials.

“We wanted to keep the old traditions alive,” Wendy says. “We see imported jewelry in shops, but we want to create something that comes from our ancestors and our island.”

For the past five years, their brand, Tony and Wendy Vanuatu Souvenir and Handmade Things, has slowly grown.

Each piece reflects Vanuatu’s culture and heritage, made entirely from locally sourced materials. Their jewelry not only celebrates tradition but also provides a way to earn income and sustain their creativity.