Fiji Village Hurricane Rebuilding Project

The village of Natagatagta, Ba, in the western highlands of Viti Levu, was badly damaged by Hurricane Winston in February 2016. The destruction was worse that other villages, due to its exposed location on a mountain ridge. Eleven houses out of a total of seventeen were completely destroyed, while most others, as well as the community hall, are in need of repair. Families are now living in tents or shelters, while two families have moved from the village because of the housing situation.

As the village has been waiting without result for 10 months for promised government funding to arrive, it has been decided to seek funding through an international online crowdfunding appeal. This will, in the first phase, provide housing for village elders, who should not have to face another rainy season in tents donated by the Chinese that are now showing wear, and in temporary shelters.

The current project is to just rebuild four of the destroyed houses. These will be the houses of the eldest people in the village, the oldest residents who are now lining in tents or shelters.

4 X $7,000 each = $28,000 (Fiji dollars, or US$13,500). For each house, the $7,000 would cover the purchase of: Roofing iron, cement, treated corner posts, wall boards, windows, nails, hinges, electric wiring, switches sockets and service panel, other hardware, plus transportation of these supplies from the nearest town (Tavua). The framing timber would be obtained from trees contributed by the local mataqali landowner, with some costs paid for chainsaw fuel and maintenance, and for some expert paid work. However, the majority of the work preparing the faming timbers, as well as the actual house construction, would be contributed by the villagers of Nagatagata.