Villagers move on with life

FIVE years after being relocated as a result of rising sea level, the villagers of Vunidogoloa have financially equipped themselves using natural resources.

Testifying to this, village headman Sailosi Ramatu said they had started building the $265,000 church using logs from their forests.

Sharing his story at a workshop held in Labasa, Mr Ramatu said they had moved on with life.

The old village site, which is affected by rising seawater, has become a tourist attraction, raking in extra revenue for the villagers.

Mr Ramatu said they had groups of tourists, researchers and students visit the old village area.

“We don’t enforce the fees, but our visitors have been kind to give us some form of assistance and that has benefited our village,” he said.

“Right now, we are trying to complete the church building which we funded ourselves.

“We have also set up groups for the youths, women and men and it has been a success as we initiate programs in the village.”

One of the programs, he said, was the “solesolevaki”.

“So whoever wants villagers to work on their farms, they pay $10 an hour per person and we have been doing this since we moved to the new village site.

“Even the youths have done it and they have big yaqona and dalo farms and we believe that the soil has good value for money.”

The villagers relocated in 2014 into 30 new houses built by Government under the climate change program. The villagers have built three new houses.