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In the remote village of Raviravi, located on the island of Vanua Levu in Fiji, residents have embarked on a journey to restore the balance of their coastal ecosystem through a mangrove planting scheme.

In a documentary produced by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT), the video captured the progress of a Kiwa Initiative local project in Raviravi village that is currently being implemented by C3 Fiji and managed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ��).

Video interviewees

The video showcased interviewees from C3 Fiji and village members who provided testimonies on how the Kiwa Initiative project has helped the entire Raviravi community to restore their mangrove ecosystem.

"We started off with our project here in 2016 as a pilot project for mangrove restoration," explained Maleli Qera, a programme officer at C3 Fiji. "When we came here in 2016, there hadn't been any seawall at all, and the village had been complaining about seawater inundation surpassing the normal high-water marks."

Recognising the vulnerability of the community, the C3 Fiji team identified Raviravi as the perfect location to implement a Nature-based Solution through mangrove rehabilitation.

"We have been blessed because we didn't know the importance of mangroves," continued Mr. Qera.

Village chief of Raviravi, Akuila Paini said, "As awareness came, we kept educating the community, and now we know the importance of mangroves. We really appreciate the Kiwa Initiative, ������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ��, and C3 Fiji for helping us meet our target of 20,000 mangrove trees planted."

The village elders, like Inoke Ligairi, have witnessed firsthand the changes in the local climate and the impact on their community. Mr. Ligairi said, “We started noticing the change in the climate pattern when there's more disruption in the weather and more erosion caused by the waves. "Since the replanting started, we have witnessed the return of sea life, including some crabs and fish."

Laisani Sepo, a youth member of the Raviravi community, echoes the positive sentiment. "The current project that we are trying to implement is to rehabilitate the coastal site. I've heard from some of the village elders that things were not seen here before, but they're starting to come back. I think it's a great idea to replant the mangroves, and the village of Raviravi have now planted 200 mangrove trees to help rehabilitate the shoreline and rebuild the local ecosystem."

The C3 Fiji project titled “Restoring mangroves for livelihoods in Fiji” is a local project under the Kiwa Initiative. The initiative funded by the European Union (EU), Agence �������ç������e de Développement (AFD), Global Affairs Canada (GAC), Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and (DFAT) and New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT), has been very important in helping the people of Raviravi restore their mangrove forests. Through this joint project, the community is bringing back the native flora and fauna as well as restoring the balance of their coastal ecosystem.

The Kiwa Initiative has established partnerships with the Pacific Community (SPC), the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and the Oceania Regional Office of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ��).

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