2. Contents
1. Introduction
2. Life in the Yasawa Islands
3. The GVI ‘Water For Life’ Program
4. Our Partners
5. Water Infrastructure Overview Audit
6. Community Involvement
7. Volunteer Training
8. Impact by Community
9. Sustainable Sanitation Solutions
10. Wash Awareness
11. Disaster Relief Operations
12. Women and Water
13. Conclusion
3. Fiji is a country known for white sandy beaches, crystal clear waters and colorful coral reefs. The area that best represents
this stereotypical image of Fiji is the Yasawa Islands. Consequently, the Yasawa Island Chain is a popular tourist destination
and tourism an important source of local income. However, despite growing tourism infrastructure, local communities con-
tinue to struggle to for one of their basic human rights: the right to safe drinking water.
The Yasawa Island group is an archipelago made up of over 20 volcanic islands that lie west of Viti Levu Island. Some of
these islands have natural springs, while others have water access through boreholes or wells. These water sources are
used primarily for cooking, washing and bathing by communities. Natural water catchment on the islands is poor due to
deforestation and the porous volcanic rock that forms the basis of most islands. For drinking water, the majority of villag-
es rely on rainwater harvesting (RWH), which is a much cleaner and safer source to groundwater . However, during the
increasingly intense and long dry season communities struggle to meet the demand for water especially in the central
and northern Yasawa Islands. In the past villages have relied on brackish water from their springs, boreholes and wells or
on water transported by the Fijian government from Viti Levu. The Yasawa Islands experience some of the hottest and
driest weather conditions in Fiji.
Climate projections and the analysis of rainfall over the past ten years forecasts increasingly erratic rainfall patterns, longer
and more intense dry seasons, higher average temperatures in the Yasawa Islands. Reduced natural rainwater catchment
due to fires and changing land use are also having long term negagive impacts on water catchment. These localized hy-
dro meteorological factors paired with rising sea-levels, increased salt water intrusion, reduced land fertility, and dramatic
beach erosion will continue to pressurize communities abilities to adapt their livelihoods to ensure long term food and
water security for island communities.
Many communities in the region lack the funds and infrastructure to ensure an adequate amount of safe drinking water
throughout the dry season. Rainwater tanks are expensive, weather patterns increasingly unpredictable, and as result there
is more pressure on communities to plan ahead in order to ensure the safe storage of drinking water for longer periods of
time. To successfully collect and store rainwater it is important that communities have the support and training to control
and monitor water collection and ensure the safe storage of water.
The lack of safe drinking water during the dry season impacts education and health in Yasawan communities. Many of the
school’s in the Yasawas have boarding students who are then unable to stay on the school grounds during period of water
shortage do to health risks associated with sanitation and a lack of adequent drinking water. For example in 2012, boarding
students at Ratu Meli Memorial School missed 3 weeks of term 3 due to water shortages.
Rainwater Harvesting presents a relatively inexpensive and simple solution to the water problems faced by communities in
the Yasawas. During the rainy season, there is adequate precipitation,that if collected and safely stored, can help to fulfill
the drinking water needs of communities throughout the dry season. However, many villages in the region lacked sufficient
water holding capacity and infrastructure as well as the awareness and training to do so.
In 2011, Global Vision International (GVI) began a long-term Water Security Program designed to increase the capacity of
the region to respond to growing water security issues through a program of assessment, training, awareness, fundraising,
infrastructure improvements, and new infrastructure installation.
GVI is an international non-governmental organization that is primarily funded by volunteers. Volunteers from all over the
world donate their time and money to participate in GVI projects. During the course of the 2011-2014 ‘Wai Ni Bula’ Water
Security Project volunteers helped fund the materials and provide the labor needed to install RWH systems in ten commu-
nities in the Yasawa Islands with the help of key partners and outside funding.
From June 2011 – August 2014, GVI personnel developed strong ties within target villages during the assessment, training,
and construction implementation phases of the project.
This report summarizes the impact within each community and the overall region and describes the key lessons learnt over
the course of the 38 month project.
Introduction
4. Life in the Yasawa Islands
The Yasawa Islands have some of the lowest yearly precipitation levels in all of Fiji. During the majority of
the months of the dry season (May – October) there is often so little rainfall that very little water can be
collected in RWH tanks. Additionally, boreholes, wells, and springs run severely low. The lack of rainfall
also means that the landscape is extremely dry and it is common for bush fires to occur. Fires can destroy
crops but can also damage the pipes that transport water from a bore hole or spring to the tanks that
store it. However, from November to April, the monthly average precipitation is approximately 217mm.
During this period large quantities of safe drinking water can be collected and stored. A roof area of 32.4
meters squared can capture over 5,600 liters of water per month if, during those months, it rains 217mm
(see Figure 1). Rainwater Harvesting is a key tool to support daily life in the Yasawa Islands.
5. GVI’s Water For Life (Wi Ni Bula) Program targeted ten Yasawan communities throughout the course of the
project. Through surveys and direct engagement with key members of the communities, program leaders ascer-
tained that each of the target villages were using a differing mixture of water sources during the course of the
year and that each community or village has, due to different geography very different water security profiles
throughout the year. Communities in this region utilize a combination of rainwater tanks, wells, boreholes and
springs to supply fresh water. Fresh water sources vary in each village and the method in which they are cap-
tured also varies. Many villages use dams or pumps to collect water in large (40,000L – 80,000L) concrete tanks
(many of which were installed in the 1970’s), which then run into the villages through PVC pipes. During the
rainy season, villages have reported that their dams become clogged with mud thus contaminating the water.
Conversely, during the dry season, the dams, springs and boreholes often get dangerously low, forcing the vil-
lages to regulate when they open the collection tanks. Below is a brief summary of the situation of each village
in terms of their access to fresh water.
The GVI ‘Water For Life’ Program
Objectives and Goals
GVI’s main Water For Life project objective was to assist communities in increasing access to safe drinking water
through rainwater harvesting. Through rainwater harvesting, GVI aims to contribute to the UN’s Millennium Devel-
opment Goal of halving, by 2015, the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and
basic sanitation. GVI advocates “a human rights approach to water and sanitation, with [an] emphasis on account-
ability, access to information, non-discrimination, attention to vulnerable groups and participation” . As outlined in
the Manual on the Right to Water and Sanitation, “access to water and sanitation is necessary for health, education,
economic development and the environment” (COHRE, AAAS, SDC and UN-HABITAT, Manual on the Right to
Water and Sanitation 2007)
This program has worked towards the following key goals:
Goal 1: Ensure communities have access to a minimum of 3 liters of safe drinking water per person per day
through the effective assessment of water infrastructure and the implementation of community support infrastruc-
ture improvements and new infrastructure installations.
Goal 2: Increase the capacity of communities to respond to and manage water security issues through the delivery
of awareness building information sessions, in the form of presentations, informal talks and lesson plans and spe-
cific training on RWH systems maintenance, common problems with RWH systems, and water conservation.
Goal 3: Build leadership capacity in communities by identifying and engaging with key community members of
villages and schools who will take responsibility for reporting on, responding to and overseeing community wellbe-
ing.
Key performance indicators
1. Through the comparison of audits of water infrastructure
before and after project implementation, provide clear evi-
dence of the increased overall access to functional rainwater
harvesting collection capacity in target villages.
2. Through quarterly return visits post-awareness imple-
mentation, ascertain the level of RWH system upkeep and
maintenance, gauge integration of system upkeep in daily
routines.
3. Asses through survey of target community members
how new methodologies, awareness, and infrastructure has
impacted daily life during dry season in comparison to pre-
vious years.
Roof area x precipitation x runoff
co-efficient (0.8) = Liters of rain
collected
6. Our Partners
MWH Global
MWH Global is a global wet infrastructure firm, providing
technical engineering, construction services and consulting
solutions to protect, enhance, store and distribute water.
MWH Global made a (NZ)$10,000 donation to the GVI Water
For Life Program and continues to act as a key funding part-
ner for water security operations in Fiji. Over 207,900 liters of
rainwater collection capacity were made available through
the combination of new system installations and efficiency
improvements and major repairs to existing infrastructure.
Global Vision International - Charitable Trust
The GVI Charitable Trust is a UK registered Charity
that works as a fundraising mechanism to support
critical humanitarian and environmental initiatives via
GVI’s international network of projects and partners.
www.gvi.org
The Ba Provincial Council
The Ba Provincial Council, has been a key contrib-
utor to GVI’s operations in the Yasawa Islands. The
Ba Provincial Council has support GVI with relevant
permissions and provided consultation in relation to
GVI’s reports and proposals. The Ba Provincial Coun-
cil was instrumental in the early stages of GVI’s oper-
ational establishment in the Yasawa Islands.
The International Rainwater Harvesting Alliance
“The International Rainwater Harvesting Alliance (IRHA) was
created in Geneva in November 2002 following recommen-
dations formulated during the World Summit for Sustainable
Development in Johannesburg two months earlier. The man-
date called for the federation and unification of the disparate
rainwater harvesting (RWH) movement around the world, to
promote rainwater as a valuable water resource and to build on
achievements in this field for the fulfillment of the Millennium
Development Goals.
In partnership with the most eminent organizations and indi-
viduals in the field, the IRHA provides a lobbying and advocacy
platform for RWH. It supports the growth of RWH solutions to
water supply problems. It also provides a forum for its mem-
bers to work together or share experiences, and thus for the
benefit of people living with water scarcity.”
AusAid Access to Quality Education Program
The goal of the AQEP program is to, in conjunction
with the Fiji Ministry of Education and other relevant
stakeholders to improve the ability of children from
very poor communities, including those with a disabili-
ty, to access a quality school education. AusAid’s AQEP
program and GVI have partnered in order to improve
the sustainability of sanitation and water security infra-
structure in Fiji’s remote rural schools.
New Zealand Rotary and The Yasawa Trust
Foundation
In early 2012, the Wanaka and Queensland
New Zealand Rotary clubs made an incredi-
bly generous donation to the Water for Life
Project, that has facilitated a significant in-
crease in water holding capacity and collec-
tion efficiency across three Northern Yasawan
Villages where access to fresh water is lim-
ited. Through both the donation of funding
and man power by these two rotary clubs,
the Yasawa Trust Foundation and GVI water
security program has been able to add over
83,200 liters of new water holding capacity
in new rainwater harvesting systems, carry
out efficiency improvements on over 100,000
liters worth of existing collection capacity, and
install 15 filter systems across three villages.
The Fiji Ministry of Youth and Sports
The Fiji Ministry of Youth and Sports is GVI’s key
governmental partner. GVI works with the Ministry to
promote opportunities for Fiji youth through capac-
ity building, income generation, and collaborative
partnerships.
Invoke is a locally based social enterprise founded on
the belief that the challenges associated with climate
change also offer unique opportunities for innovation
and positive social change. Invoke offers a unique im-
plementation solution – both cost effective and impact
focused geared at removing the divisions between im-
plementer and recipients. Invoke has provided proj-
ect design and operational support to GVI since 2011
and provided full time support with the implementa-
tion and design of the Water for Life program
7. Water Infrastructure Overview Audit
In August 2012, GVI Fiji pro-
duced a 168 page audit detail-
ing the condition of water infra-
structure across ten of the most
drought prone villages in the
central/northern Yasawas. This
document, represented one of
the most in-depth assessments
of infrastructure historically in
the region and was utilized as
the benchmark for designing
GVI’s program priorities and
funding strategy
Example Audit Methodology
The primary objectives are as follows:
1) Visually inspect all water systems (tank lid, guttering, note water level, check filter, note any
leaks or damage)
2) Document the condition of each system
3) Document parts needed
4) Document components used on the system
For example
Village: Naisisilli
House #57
Newly installed System - GVI Funded
1x 5200 liter tank, 4 lengths guttering, 4 guttering connectors, 8 brackets, 2x stop ends, 1 xfilter
system with tap and all connections
Status: Collecting water
Condition: Filter changed – 1x filter used
GPS point: XXXXXXX
Photo Number: img_12345
5) Photograph each system and ensure you have a way of connecting the photo to your notes
6) Place a GPS point on all /GVI funded new systems (new meaning tank and all components
were installed by GVI)
7) Village map – one volunteer can be responsible for drafting a basic map of the village,
locating the water sources and other notable structures – church, school,
ROLES
The team must be methodical in its approach to the work as it will be easy to double up on infor-
mation, assess the same tank twice etc. Recommended role split is as follows:
1) Photographer, documenting each tank and referring it to the data collected either by the
order of the photos or from the photo’s image number on the SD card
2) Data Scribe – responsible for writing down all the data on each system and ensuring that
all required information has been recorded at each work site. Also responsible for geo tagging
tanks with GPS.
3) Assessor – this team member will assess the system and provide the data for the scribe.
Assessor may need to climb up on roof to check guttering, will need to open filters, look inside
tanks, interview villagers on the system etc.
4) Cartographer- This member of staff will move freely around the village and create a map of
the manage landmarks, assess, water sources in the village. The mapping of all villages should be
simple and functional
5) Repairs – This person will work with the assessor to carry out on the spot repairs / improve-
ments such as filter change, gutter cleans, guttering repairs etc. Repairs should bring basic tools
and replacement materials to the field and must ensure than any work carried out or new materi-
als used are documented by the Scribe.
6) Village Liaison Surveyor- this person will be responsible for interviewing locals and collect-
ing data through conversation. The information can either be written down or recorded with an
audio recording device. The idea is to ask questions, collect quotes, note requests/problems, and
learn more about the village and its current challenges through conversation. Some of the types
of questions that should be asked and info recorded could include the following:
a) What is the current situation with water in the village?
b) How are the systems working?
c) What is the current main source of drinking water?
e) What vegetables are grown in the village?
f) Fishing practices? (if marine team participate they can handle marine related inquiries)
g) Do the villagers lock the tanks?
8. Household Surveys
One of the first steps in the process in each community was to conduct surveys in each household in order to create a
profile for each community complete with key information on population size, gender split, information on employment
and livelihoods, and data on relative level of education of each community (see Appendix A). The surveys also collect
specific information on issues with water usage, and estimated village demand for drinking water in relation to popula-
tion . However, the surveys are not always representative of the correct amount of water needed to satisfy the minimum
requirements for drinking water in a community (3L per person per day). Therefore, GVI uses a basic calculation to obtain
the demand from drinking water in a community.
The minimum RWH capacity required by each village was calculated by multiplying the population by 3 liters of drinking
water multiplied again by 180 days in the dry season. Since the Yasawa Islands have a very distinct dry and wet season
for half the year each, the number of days in the dry season is simply half the year. This calculation results in the minimum
about of holding capacity required to ensure that a community has 3 liters per person per day for half the year assuming
that at the beginning of the dry seasons it was possible for all tanks to be full. This is obviously not possible to ensure and
is unlikely, however the calculation provides a starting point for developing a minimum base line and does not take into
account other water sources such as wells from which water can be boiled to be made potable. As a result, this calcula-
tion was seen to be conservative enough to provide a useful and realistic baseline for the project.
After household surveys, water infrastructure surveys are carried out in order to audit the available sources, RWH hold-
ing capacity, and specific problems faced (see Appendix B). With information on the demand for drinking water and the
available supply, GVI personnel were then able to determine specific priorities and needs with each community in relation
to demonstrated capacity deficits and infrastructure gaps.
Site Assessments
After the completion of the large scale water audit of the region - various phases of site assessments were carried out
throughout the process to asses current fresh water sources and determine ideal locations for future RWH systems. Site
assessments include village mapping to identify distribution of households and water sources. RWH systems are ideally
dispersed throughout a community, allowing household usage to be spread across all tanks evenly. Houses identified for
RHW systems must meet the following criteria:
• A large galvanized steel sheet roof that is not painted or rusted. If a roof is painted, ensure that it is not lead-based
paint
• A roof that is high enough for the down pipe to have an adequate slope from fascia board to tank for system to collect
maximum water
• The fascia board must be in place and not rotting. Ensure roof overhangs the fascia board by the correct distance for
the guttering to catch the rainfall runoff.
Components of rainwater harvesting system and installation process
The rainwater harvesting systems installed by GVI offer a basic means by which to capture rainfall from a surface and
divert it into storage. The systems are designed to use locally sourced hardware and utilize the most cost effective and
durable materials available locally. Once materials are sourced, shipped, and transported to the work site. The following
steps can all be completed within 2-5 days.
Note on Filtration – at the beginning of
the program, simple filter systems were
installed on each RWH system. How-
ever, due to the difficulty in sourcing
filters, cost, issues with maintenance,
and added vulnerability to the source
due to the risk of damage to the filter
and resulting loss of water, these filters
were discontinued by GVI
• Construction of concrete base (should be 2ft larger than the diameter of the tank –
commonly 5,300L = 7ft x 7ft base and 10,000L = 8ft x 8ft base)
• Installation of brackets to fascia board at correct pitch
• Installation of guttering
• Cleaning and sealing of tank
• Installation of tank, connection of down pipe from guttering to tank
• Installation of tap to tank
• Construction of drainage area below tap
9. Community involvement
When working with communities to install or improve water infrastructure, GVI
aims to ensure sustainability by involving community members in each step of
the project.
Prior to commencing any work in a community, GVI presents a sevusevu to
that community. This is a traditional way of asking permission for being in the
village by presenting the village with a gift of kava root . This ceremony often
provides a forum to discuss the objectives of the program and further intro-
duce the concept and aims of the operation.
Once permission is granted and objectives discussed, GVI staff engage with
key community stakeholders and committee members to collect more in depth
data on the water profile of the community.
During the construction phase of projects, village youth and other community
members are tasked by the village leadership to support with the construction
and are given specific training when working alongside volunteers. Finally, and
most importantly, following any infrastructure improvement or the installation
of new RWH systems, GVI’s personnel provide a presentation on how to main-
tain the tanks and safely store and collect water (see Appendix C). This presen-
tation provides key information on common problems, price of materials and
why it is important to regularly clean the RWH systems. This information is also
given to community members informally as the construction is taking place. It
is vital to ensure the community has the tools to deal with any issues that arise
in the future.
Volunteer training
New RWH systems are ideally installed by a maximum of three GVI volunteers supported by as many interested com-
munity members as possible and supervised by one GVI staff member. Volunteers are given specific training and ori-
entation before they take part in any construction activities. The training provides an overview of how site assessments
are carried out, a step by step guide to how a RWH system is installed, health and safety and cultural information. The
remainder of the training is carried out on site as the volunteers are guided through each stage of the project.
10. Impact By Community
Liters of rainwater harvesting storage /
collection capacity added
Aerial View of Project location
Project impact highlights
Key Village Profile information
Project location report layout
11. Enedala Settlement
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
35000
Intial RWH Capacity Additional capacity
added through
additional RWH
Systems
Addiitonal Capacity
made available
through
infrastructure
repairs,
refurbishments, and
upgrades
Current Existing
Capacity post-Water
For Life program
Enedala Settlement
Enedala Settlement
• 30,700 Liters of RWH capacity added
• 2 New RWH systems installed
• 4 guttering systems added / repaired
• 3 cement tank bases constructed
Naisisili Village
0
20000
40000
60000
80000
100000
120000
140000
Intial RWH Capacity Additional capacity added
through additional RWH
Systems
Addiitonal Capacity made
available through
infrastructure repairs,
refurbishments, and
upgrades
Current Existing Capacity
post-Water For Life
program
Naisisili
Naisisili
• 109,100 Liters of RWH capacity added
• 7 New RWH systems installed
• 6 complete systems refurbished
12. 0
50000
100000
150000
200000
250000
Intial RWH Capacity Additional capacity
added through
additional RWH
Systems
Addiitonal Capacity
made available
through infrastructure
repairs,
refurbishments, and
upgrades
Current Existing
Capacity post-Water
For Life program
Nacula
Nacula
Nacula Village
• 185,100 Liters of RWH capacity added
• 3 new RWH systems installed
• 9 existing systems refurbished
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
35000
40000
45000
Intial RWH Capacity Additional capacity
added through
additional RWH
Systems
Addiitonal Capacity
made available
through
infrastructure
repairs,
refurbishments, and
upgrades
Current Existing
Capacity post-Water
For Life program
Ratu Meli Memorial School
Ratu Meli School
Ratu Meli Memorial School
• 40,400 Liters of RWH capacity added
• 2 new RWH systems installed
• 6 existing non-functional systems refurbished
13. Malakati Village
0
10000
20000
30000
40000
50000
60000
70000
80000
90000
Intial RWH
Capacity
Additional
capacity added
through
additional RWH
Systems
Addiitonal
Capacity made
available
through
infrastructure
repairs,
refurbishments,
and upgrades
Current Existing
Capacity post-
Water For Life
program
Malakati
Malakati
• 67,700 liters added
• 6 new RWH systems installed
• 4 existing systems refurbished
Navotua Village
• 55,600 liters of RWH capacity added
• 3 new RWH systems added
• 7 guttering systems installed
• 4 cement bases constructed
0
10000
20000
30000
40000
50000
60000
70000
Intial RWH Capacity Additional capacity added
through additional RWH
Systems
Addiitonal Capacity made
available through
infrastructure repairs,
refurbishments, and
upgrades
Current Existing Capacity
post-Water For Life
program
Navotua
Navotua
14. Matacawalevu Village
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
35000
40000
Intial RWH Capacity Additional capacity
added through
additional RWH
Systems
Addiitonal Capacity
made available
through infrastructure
repairs,
refurbishments, and
upgrades
Current Existing
Capacity post-Water
For Life program
Matacawalevu
Matacawalevu
• 26,300 liters of RWH capacity added
• 5 tanks installed
• 7 guttering systems installed
• 7 cement bases constructed
Vuaki Village
0
20000
40000
60000
80000
100000
120000
140000
160000
180000
200000
Intial RWH Capacity Additional capacity
added through
additional RWH
Systems
Addiitonal Capacity
made available
through infrastructure
repairs,
refurbishments, and
upgrades
Current Existing
Capacity post-Water
For Life program
Vuaki
Vuaki
• 125,800 liters of RWH capacity added
• 3 new RWH systems installed
• 10 guttering systems installed
• 5 bases constructed
15. Nabukeru Village
Tamasua Village
0
10000
20000
30000
40000
50000
60000
70000
Intial RWH
Capacity
Additional
capacity added
through
additional RWH
Systems
Addiitonal
Capacity made
available
through
infrastructure
repairs,
refurbishments,
and upgrades
Current
Existing
Capacity post-
Water For Life
program
Tamasua
Tamasua
• 79,600 liters of RWH capacity added
• 4 new RWH systems installed
• 5 guttering systems installed
• 119,600 liters of RWH capacity added
• 2 RWH systems installed
• 6 guttering systems installed
• 2 cement bases constructed
0
10000
20000
30000
40000
50000
60000
70000
80000
Intial RWH
Capacity
Additional
capacity added
through
additional RWH
Systems
Addiitonal
Capacity made
available through
infrastructure
repairs,
refurbishments,
and upgrades
Current Existing
Capacity post-
Water For Life
program
Nabukeru
Nabukeru
16. • 57,600 liters of RWH capacity added
• 4 tanks installed
• 9 guttering systems installed
• 5 cement bases constructed
Yaqeta Village
0
10000
20000
30000
40000
50000
60000
70000
Intial RWH Capacity Additional capacity
added through
additional RWH
Systems
Addiitonal Capacity
made available
through
infrastructure
repairs,
refurbishments, and
upgrades
Current Existing
Capacity post-Water
For Life program
Yaqeta
0
50000
100000
150000
200000
250000
Nacula
Naisisili
Malakati
Tamasua
Nabukeru
Enedala
Matacawalevu
Vuaki
Navotua
RMMS
Yaqeta
Intial RWH Capacity
Additional capacity
added through additional
RWH Systems
Addiitonal Capacity made
available through
infrastructure repairs,
refurbishments, and
upgrades
17. Global Vision International Fiji developed a
low cost, high efficiency composting toilet
design through pilot projects run in the Ya-
sawas between 2012-2013. In 2015, GVI re-
visited the design with the construction of a
composting toilet system for Navunisea School
in Dawasamu. GVI, then completed two ad-
ditional composting toilets for schools in the
Dawasamu District School with the support of
volunteers and funding from the The Global
Perspectives program run by Stelly’s School,
Canada.
The AusAid AQEP Funded Composting Toilets Project
Somolevu Catholic School is located on Matacawalevu Island in the Nacula Tikina of the Yasawa Island chain. The school relies
upon rainwater as its primary source of fresh water. Somolevu Catholic School has 107 pupils who come from four villages on
three islands. Among these students there are 16 pupils who board from Monday to Friday at the school.
The school has suffered from on-going sanitation problems due to ongoing water security issues. Up until April 2015, the
school has only ever had pit toilets. The dormitory had flush toilets for a short period of time but required water from the
spring to keep them operational. As the source is unreliable the toilets broke and students reverted back to using pit toilets.
The pit toilets that the day scholars and boarders were using were unsanitary and unsafe as the pits were full and many of the
doors not functional. As a result of the condition of the pit toilets, the students often practiced open-defecation; preferring
to use the bushes behind the pit toilets rather than the toilets themselves. The dry seasons in the Yasawa Islands are getting
longer and more severe, in recent years this has resulted in multiple school closures throughout the dry season for Somolevu
Catholic School.
In response, the Australian Government’s Access to Quality Education Program (AQEP) proposed the construction of six water-
less compost toilets to provide emergency response assistance for the disaster affected school. Composting toilets have the
ability to provide safe sanitary facilities for the students regardless of the availability of fresh water.
GVI Fiji was chosen as the lead implementer for this pilot project due to successful previous experience designing composting
toilet solutions for schools. From April to June 2015, GVI designed and built a large composting toilet block for the school and
carried out a series of workshops with the school and community to ensure the long term sustainability and upkeep of the new
facility. These water free toilets have provided the school with greater operational resilience through this safe method of sanita-
tion that does not rely upon the limited fresh water available.
Sustainable Solutions for Sanitation
18. • Water Tank Maintenance and Upkeep
• Hand-washing Awareness and ‘Tippy Tap’ low cost hand-wash station construction
• Composting Toilet Introduction and Training
• Water Infrastructure assessment and repair
WASH Awareness
For Schools
With Communities
For Mothers
With Leaders
19. Disaster Relief Operations
In December 2012, Cyclone Evan hit Fiji with the eye of the storm passing just north
of the villages GVI works with. As a result of the 270km/h winds, there was much
damage to infrastructure and crops, compromising both food and water security. GVI
assisted the worst affected villages with food aid, distributing almost 2000kg of rice,
flour, lentils and sugar among 200 households. In addition, there was damage to RWH
systems in these villages, in response, GVI repairs to 25 systems across 6 villages and 2
schools. The table below shows the distribution of these repairs. For full achievement
report see Appendix F.
In Fiji’s traditional island communities, women are the center of the home- responsible for childcare, housekeeping, as
well as hunting, crafts and income generation, and the general sanitation practice of the home. Though decision making
with regards to village infrastructure and land use is largely a male dominated role, it is by and large the women who col-
lect and store water in the home, direct children to drinking water, source water for cooking and washing, and ensure the
children are bathed. The rainwater harvesting systems in the Yasawa Islands that have either been repaired or newly in-
stalled have been in many cases installed to collect water from the roofs of family homes and been as a result included in
many Women’s remit when it comes to upkeep and monitoring water levels. GVI’s program of awareness and our focus on
themes such as sanitation, RWH upkeep, and water conservation has been as a result delivered to both the Men’s Youth
groups and the village Women’s groups after overcoming the initial tendency for our project leaders to be directed solely
to the village headmen.
As the traditional keepers of the home, the women of the Yasawa Islands have had an integral role in the monitoring of
water sources and been the front line for protecting both children and the community from unsafe water sources. A partic-
ular area in which Women have played a vital role is with regards to water conservation. Through assessments it has be-
come clear in some specific cases that water shortages could have been prevented if water was used more frugally at the
end of the rainy season and if more emphasis was placed on stockpiling water in preparation for the dry season. Women’s
use of water for washing, cooking, bathing children, and maintaining the home has meant that the women of the village
have the most active role and greatest impact on the use of large volumes of water and are as a result the most effective
stewards when it comes to water conservation in remote island villages.
Women have played an integral role in our project’s ability to ensure the quality and availability of collected water through
the monitoring of tanks and small water sources and through the role they play in teaching and maintaining standards of
sanitation in the home.
Here in Fiji, our work to improve water security has been greatly informed through an ongoing effort to include Women in
the assessment process and in the conversation surrounding awareness and through the continual recognition of the role
women play in the training of the next generation of rainwater harvesters.
Women and Water
20. Monitoring and Evaluation
GVI completed a comprehensive survey of new and recently imporved rainwater harvesting systems in September 2014.
During the time of the survey, the effects of a long dry season due to an El Nino year were being strongly felt. The major-
ity of the villages had only a few tanks with water remaining inside. However, the Government had begun shipping water
to the villages and schools most affected by the drought. GVI surveyed 123 tanks across eight villages and two schools.
Matacawalevu and Yaqeta were excluded as these had been the most recent communities GVI worked in and was there-
fore confident that no major changes to the rainwater harvesting systems had occurred since the last visit. The below chart
indicates the findings.
In response, further follow up WASH training through workshops as well as basic maintenance support was provided. Communities were
encouraged to continue to demonstrate best practice and to ensure that all community members work together to secure tanks and
ensure efficient collection potential throughout year.
The recent site visits concluded that accountability for maintenace and source upkeep was one of the major challenges in many com-
munities. Though the provision of training and WASH awareness significantly improved community rain water harvesting performance in
communities where workshop attendance and community engagement was high - the overall quality of upkeep across all RWH systems
in any one community was fairly inconsistant in all the target communities.
The importance of securing tanks in order to keep water free free from mosquitoes, vermin and debris while keeping catchment ar-
eas clean is in general the main maintenance concerns when storing water long term in basic tanks. Ensuring that as many community
members as possible have anunderstanding of the serious health risks involved if water sources are contaminated remains a key focus for
water awareness nation wide.
Across the ten communities involved in the intiative, WASH teams recorded varying levels of involvement. The community members
who have been heavily involved with the process from training to construction have been invaluable. Each of these individuals helped to
improve the process of implementation.
Active interest from village leadership in target villages was vital to ensure success. The proactive involvement of theTuraga ni koro in
Matacawalevu, Vuaki and Enedala demonstrated how much can be achieved through the active partnership between GVI and commu-
nities when key leaders were fully engaged with the importance of water security. The level of engagement demonstrated by village -
youth, village leadership, and women’s groups was pivitol in influencing the sustainability of the RWH systems.
Although within each target village there were existing water committees within the community stucture busy and disjointed community
routines have continued to impact the productivity of communal intiatives in many of the areas of the Yasawas where tourism is a major
source of income.
The split between families involved with traditional subsistance lifestyles and the lifesytles of families reliant on tourism for paid em-
ployement has impacted traditional communalism and village acitvity planning and leadership. This fracture was apparent in the target
villages based nearby to tourism infrastucture.
In these communities workshop attendance was not has high as it was in the more remote villages. Individual involvement in the entire
process is important to create ownership, skills, and motivation and as a result the successs of the capacity buulding process from train-
ing to construction was highly dependant on high levels of consistant attendance.
Though most upkeep issues with RWH systems are simple problems that can be easily fixed, if these issues go unaddressed large quan-
tities of drinking water can be impacted either through contamination or ineefficnet collection.
GVI worked with village leadership to identify key points of contact for each RWH system to ensure source protection and upkeep.
Information packs for water wardens were distributed across target villages - these packs include methodologies and resources to help
communities mainatain village wide rainwater collection and storage networks and respond to the differing challenges and preparation
requirements that define both dry and wet seasons.
The result of these surveys indicated a lack of maintenance in certain key
villages. Based on WASH training workshop attendance data, it was con-
firmed that there was a fairly significant level of correlation between the
quality of system upkeep and the level of attendance at intial workshops.
In villages where workshop and training session attendance was low or
restricted to one key interest group during GVI’s intial interventions, return
survey findings were more likely to highligh upkeep and maintenance issues
and conversely in villages where engagement was high - cited upkeep
issues during return surveys tended to be much lower.
21. Conclusion
904,900 liters of rainwater harvesting
capacity added
across 10 villages
and five islands
for the benefit of over 1500 people
Rainwater harvesting has the potential to provide a safe primary water source for remote island communities.
CC DRR
tool kit, lessons learned, capacity built - physical and community
Through the hard work of national and international volunteers and with the generous support of
a wide range of partners, stakeholders,and donors the Yasawa Water For Life program has had a signifi-
cant impact on the water security of the target area of this remote and disaster- vulnerable island chain .
Over the course of its three and a half year life span and project cycle, GVI
has installed 40 RWH tanks and improved or repaired over 82 RWH systems.
22. “The International Rainwater Harvesting Alliance considers
Global Vision International Fiji as an excellent example of
locally based volunteer not for profit organization engaged
in assisting communities to increase access to safe drinking
water through rainwater harvesting. IRHA works to promote
the experience of GVI Fiji in small islands in other part of the
world.”
Ms Vessela Monta
Executive Director
The International Harvesting Alliance
“The spring does not always give us enough water to use for
drinking and cooking. The rainwater tanks you have provided
will really help us!.”
Mr Selema Natovi
Chief of Matacawalevu Village
“Before MWH and GVI brought the water tanks people relied
on a spring which is dammed behind the village for drinking
water. But with heavy rain, the spring gets muddy and the
drinking water gets dirty so it is much safer to get drinking
water from the rainwater tanks. Over Christmas, many people
who have moved to the mainland return to the village and
since they are not used to drinking water from the spring it is
important to have rainwater for them to drink so they don’t get
sick.”
Mr Meli Rainima
Matacawalevu Village Headman
“We thank MWH and hope to keep working with them and
GVI to make sure everyone has enough water to drink. The
village youth will help collect the materials needed to make
the concrete base and help with the labor.”
Mr Etuate Ratudradra
Vuake Village Headman
“I would like to thank the GVI and the MWH Water
Security Project for reaching out to help communities
where they are most vulnerable and where it matters
most.”
Mr Filipe Nainoca
Director General, Fiji Red Cross Society
On behalf of the school management, teachers, parents and
students of Dawasamu Secondary School, I would like to
extend my thanks to MWH for providing us with 5000L of
rain water capacity. This will provide over 170 students and
teachers with clean, safe drinking water. Before your dona-
tion we were experiencing a severe water crisis at the school
as our local dam was becoming contaminated and children
were being forced to drink unsafe water. This new rain wa-
ter system has gone a long way in helping us overcome this
problem. We are very grateful for your wonderful support.
Vinaka vakalevu
Mr Sikeli Koro
School Manager
Dawasamu Secondary School
I must acknowledge the effort by the GVI team to improve
essence of life to the youth, school children and the commu-
nity at large.
Mr Secci Waqabaca
Fiji Ministry of Youth and Sports
“GVI Fiji employs a holistic approach to community support and development integrating local youth and internation-
al volunteer led programs to promote sustainable village infrastructure, educational enrichment, and environmentally
conscious resource use. GVI works with local stakeholders to make valuable contributions to remote communities in a
culturally sensitive way.”
World Youth Student Travel
GVI Fiji Outstanding Volunteer Project Award Winner 2013
‘Water is always a major problem in the Western Division during the dry season. A proactive approach is being taken
so that people do not suffer during the dry season.’
Mr. Joeli Cawaki
Commissioner Western 2013
