Clean water and sanitation for Navunikabi Village

There were moments of absolute happiness for Fiji’s Navunikabi Village community and Navunikabi Catholic School students and teachers during the commissioning of the newly constructed water system, water treatment system and the school’s disability accessible absolution block with wastewater treatment system.

Supported by New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) and local donors, in partnership with Rotary New Zealand World Community Service and Rotary Pacific Water for Life, the recently completed system is one of many life-changing initiatives across Fiji.

The system has been established under the Fiji Rural WASH Program, which aims to improve WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) through infrastructure solutions in 12 rural communities in the Namosi and Cakaudrove Provinces of Fiji. The program’s outcomes include capacity strengthening of implementers and regulators in the Fiji Rural Sanitation Engineering Program, the construction of 60 sanitation units, and engagement with tertiary schools to create young WASH advocate champions.

The project was commissioned by Rotary New Zealand World Community Services Executive Director Stuart Batty, directly benefitting the 450 villagers and 132 school children, who previously did not have access to clean water and accessible inclusive sanitation facilities.

The project has established within the village and school a clean treated water supply system with dam, water treatment system, water storage tanks, and clean water for every household.

The children of Navunikabi Catholic School, including a disabled child, will benefit from eight sanitation units, two bathrooms, two inclusive sanitation units and water treatment solutions.

A toolbox containing basic plumbing tools was also handed over to the trained village water committee to ensure the water and sanitation system remains operational and sustainable.

MAIN PICTURE: Rotary New Zealand World Community Service Executive Director Stuart Batty with Elena Dole, who assisted him in commissioning the WASH project at Navunikabi Catholic School. During the opening of the facilities in June, Elena read a speech she had prepared: “I feel so happy and free now. Before I had to ask for help and sometimes it made me feel bad. But now I can go [to the bathroom] by myself whenever I need to. This new restroom has changed everything for me. I don’t have to worry about bothering my friends anymore.”