Intergenerational foundations to weather a changing climate in Vanuatu

Above: Pierre Talo (centre) speaks to World Vision Vanuatu staff about his experience in the Haus Blong Yumi program. Photo: World Vision Vanuatu

Vanuatu is one of the most at-risk countries in the world when it comes to disasters and climate change impacts.

In the last three years alone, Vanuatu has been hit by four major cyclones, with devastating impacts felt throughout the country.

Because of this, building cyclone safe and disaster resistant housing is a top priority for many families.

Pierre Talo lives with his family in Natawa village on the east coast of Santo, the second largest island in Vanuatu’s archipelago and home to some of the country’s most popular tourist destinations.

Above: Some of the documentation, such as plans and quotations, that Pierre has prepared and gathered as part of the building process. Photo: World Vision Vanuatu

While life on beautiful Santo comes with many benefits, like safer and healthier lifestyles, communal living, and lower living costs from subsistence farming and renewable energy, communities are still grappling with the increasing impacts of disasters and climate change.

“I know that going into the future our environment will change drastically, and there is a need to build cyclone safe houses,” said Pierre.

Pierre’s sons joined the Vanuatu Labour Mobility Program to earn and save more money. The program sends workers from all around Vanuatu to work in New Zealand and Australia to earn, save and develop new skills. His sons worked on farms in Australia for seven months on a contract basis and travelled back and forth to Santo.

“Both my sons have no family of their own yet and used to live with my wife and I in the main house. They decided to travel and work overseas to save up and build their own houses, because it costs more to build stronger houses compared to traditional houses. When they travelled, I became the project manager and managed all building logistics for them on ground,” Pierre said.

“The benefits of living in rural east coast Santo is materials can be easily sourced from nature to start building, including labour, because we live in a community.”

Pierre attended the ‘Haos Blong Yumi’ workshop in October 2022 at the Natawa Community Centre, which was jointly facilitated by World Vision Vanuatu and the Vanuatu Department of Labour.

The program focuses on practical skills to equip returning workers and their families with the knowledge they need to successfully manage small building projects.

“I learned new ways of building a strong house, how to budget and manage finances when purchasing materials, and managing logistics and construction. Most importantly, ways of how I can effectively communicate and support my boys with this building project,” he said.

“It brings me comfort and happiness knowing that my sons and future grandchildren will live in a cyclone safe house, or houses that can withstand disasters. I highly recommend this workshop to other [labour mobility] scheme workers. It will change your mindset and build your knowledge, and help you manage your homes.”

Saving and investing the economic rewards of overseas work into disaster-resilient housing has multiple benefits for workers, their families and communities. The Haos Blong Yumi reintegration program is delivered in combination with World Vision Vanuatu’s Famili I Redi, a pre-departure workshop for labour migrants and their family members. Both programs have been supported by the Australian Government through Australian Humanitarian Partnership COVID-19 responses, with the goal of building resilience and helping the Vanuatu economy recover from the shocks of the pandemic.

“The workshops cover a wide range of topics such understanding the scope of a building project and design elements, location and disaster risk management, budgeting and managing finances. It also looks at traditional and modern housing, ways to reduce cost and proper planning,” said Hilary Garae, Haos Blong Yumi Development Manager for World Vision in Vanuatu.

“Over time we have observed very positive changes and improvement in the lives of participants that have attended our trainings and workshops,” he said.

For Pierre, the training also opened his eyes to exciting possibilities for his family.

“I had a very fixed mindset about life before attending the workshop and now I realise life can be better. Supporting my boys is my number one priority and I can help change their lives for the better. Thank you to World Vision for providing the training opportunity through this workshop,” Pierre said.

Haos Blong Yumi will continue to be implemented in Torba and Sanma provinces under the five-year Disaster READY program, also supported through the Australian Humanitarian Partnership.