EMPOWER: Engaging mobilisation for positive outcome in water, ecosystem, and resilience

© Kiwa Initiative

As part of the Kiwa EMPOWER regional Project, Live & Learn Fiji staff and volunteers took part in a three-day GEDSI Training of Trainers fully dedicated to the integration of GEDSI (Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion) into climate action through Nature-based Solutions.

Facilitated by Live & Learn Fiji’s Gender and Resilience Officer, this training represented a key organisational capacity-building step. It enhanced participants’ understanding of the core principles of GEDSI and their close link to Nature-based Solutions, from project design through to implementation and monitoring.

Participants were equipped with practical frameworks to better identify and address specific needs, inequalities and challenges faced by different social groups, ensuring more inclusive, equitable and effective projects on the ground.

The training will also be rolled out in the Solomon Islands and Tuvalu, supporting the regional uptake of inclusive approaches.

© Kiwa Initiative

The Solomon Islands have officially launched the Kiwa EMPOWER Regional Project, a three-year initiative aimed at strengthening climate resilience in remote communities through the use of Nature-based Solutions (NbS). Implemented by Live & Learn Environmental Education, the project targets the island communities of Sikaiana (Malaita Province) and Nifiloli (Temotu Province), which are among the most vulnerable to climate change in the country.

Addressing Climate Challenges in Remote Islands

The EMPOWER Project was created to respond to critical threats facing Pacific island communities, including: rising sea levels, saltwater intrusion into freshwater supplies, coastal erosion, the loss of livelihoods and increasing isolation
These impacts are felt acutely in the Solomon Islands’ most remote provinces, where access to infrastructure and government services remains limited. EMPOWER aims to turn vulnerability into resilience by empowering communities to implement NbS that protect ecosystems, preserve traditional knowledge, and create sustainable local responses.

A Framework for Policy Integration

This project ensures that community-led NbS initiatives are integrated into existing national and provincial policies, rather than being carried out in isolation. By bridging the gap between local realities and institutional frameworks, it promotes long-term sustainability and policy coherence.
During the national launch of the project, Hon. Trevor Mahaga, Minister of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology, emphasised this alignment:
“This is not just another development project. It is a moment of alignment where our shared aspirations, our commitment to community resilience, and our respect for traditional knowledge systems come together for a single purpose—to empower our people to thrive in the face of a changing environment. We are here to celebrate a journey—a journey of empowerment, inclusion, and broad local action.”
The Minister also highlighted the importance of the EMPOWER Project in addressing the concerns raised by outer island communities and affirmed its alignment with the Solomon Islands’ inclusive development priorities, rural empowerment, economic transformation, and climate resilience goals. He noted that the project supports the country’s National Climate Change Framework, the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, and the National Development Strategy 2016–2025.

Community Leadership and Local Ownership

The Kiwa EMPOWER project places community ownership at its core. As one of three Pacific countries selected to implement the regional project (alongside Fiji and Tuvalu), the Solomon Islands will focus efforts in two particularly vulnerable communities.

Elmah Panisi, Solomon Islands Country Manager for Live & Learn, underlined the importance of collective engagement:
“For the Solomon Islands, this is an important project, as we are implementing it in the Malaita and Temotu Provinces in two communities that are remote and at most risk in terms of the impacts of climate change. In our engagements with stakeholders, the message has been clear: climate change is affecting us all, and we must unite to ensure that the people we serve are not left behind.”
Doris Susau, Director of Programs at Live & Learn Pacific, echoed the call for community-driven implementation and encouraged local institutions to take full ownership:
“We look forward to the continued support from the national, provincial, district, and community levels. We welcome your engagement as our team begins implementation at the project sites. This is your project; the investment in funding and commitment is yours to take ownership of.”

From the community perspective, Dr. Simon Salopuka, a representative from Nifiloli, welcomed the focus on traditional knowledge systems and NbS as a way to unite the community and build a stronger sense of project ownership.

© Kiwa Initiative

Earlier this month, three Kiwa projects — EMPOWER, POLFN and WISH+ — joined 29 experts from 14 countries in Nadi, Fiji, for a workshop hosted by WCS, CEFAS and CORDAP.

The focus: strengthening Nature-based Solutions (NbS) to reduce land-based water pollution reaching coral reefs.

Participants outlined shared priorities, including pollution reduction, integrated watershed management and researchefforts needed to scale action.

As one of the first forums uniting multiple Kiwa projects, this workshop deepens regional collaboration and cross-project learning for a more resilient Pacific.

© Kiwa Initiative

We are pleased to share with you the updates on the work being undertaken by the Kiwa EMPOWER team. This project is being implemented in Fiji, the Solomon Islands, and Tuvalu, to address climate change through NbS. Focused at strengthening the resilience of communities in the chosen sites, the Project is community driven and integrates indigenous knowledge with innovative practices for ecosystem restoration.

Work has started in the three Project countries and the Kiwa EMPOWER Newsletter #1 takes a look at the groundwork being implemented, as well as gives you a glimpse of the work which will be undertaken in the coming months. 

To read the Kiwa Empower newsletter click here :
pdf Kiwa EMPOWER regionally recognised april 2025(3.46 MB)

© Kiwa Initiative

The regional Kiwa EMPOWER programme has officially started with the launch of a baseline survey conducted by the Live and Learn Fiji team on Sikaiana Atoll. This initial phase aims to gain a better understanding of the local community and its current capacity in terms of Nature-based Solutions to address climate change.

This approach will help identify needs, potential gaps and areas requiring enhanced support, in order to designtailored training and resources adapted to the local context and realities. The objective is to implement relevant and effective capacity-building actions aligned with the territory’s priorities.

Sikaiana, located in the outer islands of Malaita, is a small atoll approximately 14 km long with a total land area ofaround 2 km², and is characterised by high vulnerability to the impacts of climate change.

The Kiwa EMPOWER project is being implemented in three Pacific countries:

• Fiji,
• the Solomon Islands
• and Tuvalu,

with the ambition of sustainably strengthening local capacities and community resilience through Nature-based Solutions.

© Kiwa Initiative - Live and Learn Fiji - April 25

As part of the regional Kiwa EMPOWER project (Engaging Mobilization for Positive Outcomes in Water, Ecosystem and Resilience Project), Live & Learn Fiji organized three major stakeholder engagement meetings in the provinces of Cakaudrove, Bua, and Macuata in Fiji’s Northern Division. These meetings strengthened partnerships with government and community actors, facilitated the sharing of best practices, and helped identify local needs in areas such as climate-smart agriculture, water, sanitation and hygien (WASH), income generation, and women's involvement in community actions.

The project was officially launched in Suva in the presence of representatives from the five donor countries (Australia, Canada, the European Union, France, and New Zealand), the Fijian government, and various regional and local stakeholders. Fiji’s Minister for Climate Change, Mosese Bulitavu, reaffirmed the government’s support for nature-based solutions in response to climate challenges.

The Kiwa EMPOWER project, funded by the Kiwa Initiative, will be implemented in 24 communities across Fiji, the Solomon Islands, and Tuvalu.

© Kiwa Initiative

The Kiwa EMPOWER regional project, implemented by Live & Learn Fiji, was officially launched in the Northern Division, Labasa, bringing together government ministries, statutory bodies, civil society networks, and 44 representatives from the project sites.

Over the next 3 years, the project will support 20 rural communities in Vanua Levu (14 in Cakaudrove, 3 in Bua, 3 in Macuata), identified in collaboration with nationalauthorities as highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.

During the launch, Northern Division Commissioner Mr. Uraia Rainima highlighted the importance of collaboration:
“The decision to work with rural communities often overlooked is a strong sign of commitment and a foundation for this project’s success.”

Live & Learn Fiji Country Manager Ms. Doris Susau emphasized that success depends on strong partnerships and collective action:
“With the support of all agencies, partners and communities, we firmly believe this project will achieve its goals.”

The launch marks the start of three years of concrete action to strengthen climate resilience in Fiji’s Northern Division through nature-based solutions.

© Kiwa Initiative

In Fiji, the EMPOWER team is currently conducting baseline information validation and activity prioritization across 20 communities. These steps build on an intensive survey carried out earlier this year, with findings now being presented to communities for confirmation.

This phase is essential, as EMPOWER is a community-led initiative: communities collectively identify and prioritize the actions that will shape the Integrated Management Plan.

At the same time, the EMPOWER team in Tuvalu has completed its baseline survey and is analyzing the results to inform the development of its integrated management plan.
In the Solomon Islands, the team has finalized the survey in Sikaiana and is completing Nifiloli this week.

© Kiwa Initiative

The Kiwa EMPOWER team in the Solomon Islands is currently carrying out a baseline survey on Sikaiana Island, one of the outer islands of Malaita. Sikaiana is a small atoll about 14 kilometres long, with a total land area of around two square kilometres.

This survey aims to better understand and assess the existing capacities of local communities in implementing Nature-based Solutions (NbS) to address climate change. It will also help identify gaps and areas where additional support is needed.
By gaining a clearer picture of local strengths and needs, the team will be able to tailor capacity-building efforts to each community’s context, ensuring that the training and resources provided are both relevant and effective.

The Kiwa EMPOWER project is being implemented in Fiji, the Solomon Islands, and Tuvalu.

© Kiwa Initiative

This week, Live & Learn Tuvalu reported several advances across its programmes focused on climate resilience, agriculture and water security.

On the island of Nanumea, the Kiwa Empower programme, in partnership with the Department of Agriculture, is establishing new plant nurseries to support climate-resilient agriculture and long-term community food security.