"Floods swallowed homes, cyclones stripped the land bare — we used to say the river was angry, but now we understand it was just asking for help." Emmy Tevi Siro, president of the Northern Ward Council of Women in Port Vila, capital of the archipelago and Chairlady of the Green Environmental Network of Vanuatu, speaks with quiet determination. Her leadership has so far united 4,000 women — the Northern Mamas — in a movement blending ancestral wisdom and modern science to restore the Tagabe River, their community’s lifeline. For generations, the river nourished families and sustained livelihoods. But pollution and cyclones left it gasping. In 2021, Siro and a dozen women began clearing debris. "We started with nothing but our hands and a law that said women could lead," she recalls. "No funding. No equipment. Just the will to revive our river."
A future taking root in cooperation
The turning point came in 2024, when the Kiwa Initiative’s PEBACC+ program implemented locally by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Program (SPREP) provided substantial support in establishing a plant nursery to cut erosion, restore biodiversity, and create economic opportunities. Kiwa didn’t just fund the plant nursery – the initiative helped design it, ensuring infrastructure for cyclone-resistant species like pandanus trees traditionally used for weaving baskets, mats, and even the roofs of houses alongside fast-growing mulch trees. "By blending our traditional knowledge with modern science, the agronomists made our planting more effective, helped us time it right to avoid the storm season" Emmy explains. "Now, our saplings survive where others failed." The three-layered agroforestry system mirrors the natural structure of the forest, with herbaceous plants covering the soil, palms forming a mid-level canopy, and large trees creating the upper story with their roots reaching deep into the earth.
Women alongside chiefs
Today, over 5,000 trees stabilize the riverbanks, while the nursery employs women at US$10/day — a modest but critical income in a country where economic opportunities are scarce. Once sidelined, women now lead alongside chiefs. "We’re not just planting trees," Emmy says. "We’re planting hope, showing our daughters that they can lead and shape the future of this place." The Tagabe River's revival is a proving ground for climate adaptation: local leadership guided by global expertise. "The SDGs aren’t just words here," Emmy says, cradling a Pandan sapling. "They’re in the roots we plant, the children we teach. If you want real change, trust the people who know the land best."
