water tanks

First Secretary Ryan Brown and Senior Development Programme Coordinator Ta’hirih Hokafonu, of the New Zealand High Commission (NZHC), recently visited a local water tank supplier (M&J) selected by the Climate Change Department in MEIDECC for production of 169 water tanks for Niuafo’ou Island.

The tanks are funded by Aotearoa New Zealand development assistance and support from the Tindall Foundation.

The tanks were handed over by China’s Ambassador to Tonga Cao Xiaolin yesterday.

Mr Cao said, “Water tanks have become one of the most urgent needs of many Tongan families. The Tongan Government has rolled out a big project under the Ministry of MEIDECC to meet the needs and to help the Tongan families be more resilient in response to climate change.”

The Governments of New Zealand and Tonga and the Tindal Foundation have funded a project that will see 63 tanks installed in communities.

New Zealand High Commissioner Tiffany Babington visited the island with MEIDECC CEO Paula Ma’u, to launch the project.

“The project will help reduce the risk of water scarcity in vulnerable communities. It also strengthens the partnership between New Zealand and Tonga on climate change resilience and adaptation,” she said.

Prime Minister, Pohiva Tu’i’onetoa and the Chinese Ambassador to Tonga, Cao Xiaolin cut a ribbon to mark the handover yesterday (Tuesday).

The water tanks were donated by Dongguan City, Guangdong Province, China, and made in Tonga.

The government will distribute the water tanks to families in need throughout Tonga.

Lui, 40, soon began efforts to improve school toilet facilities in the Vava’u island group in this island country in the South Pacific, some 7,800 kilometers from her homeland.

Lui's goal is for “an environment where children can study without any anxiety.”

Touring all of about 30 schools on the islands with a total population of 15,000, she is working to improve their aging restrooms and water supply systems that have not been properly maintained due to a lack of funds.

RNZ reports the Defence Force is in Tonga to lead the humanitarian and disaster relief exercise Tropic Twilight which includes engineers from Tonga, China, and The United States.

Lieutenant Colonel Josh Wineera said the Ha'apai group was devastated by the cyclone and water installation is a much needed requirement.

"There's a number of community halls and churches where we've been able to use our engineers to bring in and just assistance with some of those plumbing and some of those engineering type tasks."

Secretary General of Tonga Red Cross Society, Sione Taumoefolau told Radio Tonga one tank will hold five thousand litres of water.

He said the people of Niuafo’ou have been without water since last year due to the effects of El-Nino phenomenon.

Taumoefolau said every household in Niuafo'ou will receive a water tank.

The Tonga Red Cross is considering supplying similar water tanks to Vava'u, Ha'apai and 'Eua as well as outer villages in Tongatapu.

The assistance costs about $300,000 pa'anga (US$128,105)