Live & Learn Tonga

08/10/2026

🌱 Strengthening Our Shorelines & Preserving Our Cultural Heritage! 🌊 Heritage & Climate Action in Motion! 🇹🇴

We are excited to share a progress update on the Tonga Climate Change Fund (TCCF) funded Agroforestry Project, implemented by Live & Learn Tonga!

This initiative focuses on restoring coastal protection, mitigating climate risks, and preserving traditional heritage species across 4 key communities in Western Tongatapu: Ha’atafu, Kanokupolu, ‘Ahau, and Kolovai.

💚 Key Highlights of the Project

🌿 Coastal Tree Planting Kicked Off: On October 7th, 2026, the Live & Learn Tonga team officially started field planting, delivering and planting 350 Coastal Plants across Ha’atafu and Kanokupolu to reinforce vulnerable shorelines and still on progress to reach out to ‘Ahau and Kolovai on the upcoming weeks, which left with 1050 Coastal trees..

🌺 Traditional Tree Planting Progress: Following up on the launch, the team successfully planted 160 traditional trees on October 8th, 2026, directly supporting households and preserving vital cultural heritage plants also targeting next engagement to Kanokupolu, ‘Ahau and Kolovai with 480 traditional trees to plant.

🌊 Coastal Defense: Over 1,400 coastal trees (such as Toa, Telie, Fotulona, Fetau, Feta’anu, and Milo) are being planted across coastal zones to fight erosion and buffer storm surges.

🏡 Cultural Heritage Preservation: A total of 640 cultural & traditional trees (including Heilala, Ahi, Langakali, Pipitui, Huni Tonga, Hehea, and Uhi) are being distributed to 80 target households—to preserve rare, traditional medicinal and ornamental species.

🤝 Community-Led & Hands-On Training: On-the-field practical training accompanies the distribution to ensure proper planting techniques and high long-term survival rates.

📊 Long-Term Monitoring: Live & Learn Tonga officers will carry out multi-month Monitoring & Evaluation programs from November 2026 through June 2027 to ensure sustainability.

A massive thank you to our Town Officers, community leaders, women’s groups, local nursery partners (Popua/Patangata Green House, 'Eua Green House, Kolomotu’a Nursery, Dassah Nursery, and Fahefa Nursery), and TCCF for making this vital work possible!

25/09/2026

Inception workshops in Fiji with 7 Live and Learn Country offices in the Pacific to discuss and share lesson learnt on our climate resilient island program for the next 5 years. Listening to all presentations from different countries on the same program we are implementing here in Tonga have strengthened our knowledge based and capacity to implement the current program more effectively with a deeper localized approaches to meet the needs of our communities.

Many thanks to our support team from Melbourne for organizing this wonderful workshops and coordinating the whole event

Special thanks to MFAT for funding the entire program in 7 live and learn offices in the pacific that includes Fiji, Tuvalu, Solomon, Vanuatu, Samoa, PNG & Tonga 👌

18/09/2026

We are grateful to have successfully
completed our climate resilience consultation workshops across the 9
communities in Ha'apai—including Koulo, Lotofoa, Holopeka, Hihifo, Pangai,
'Uiha, Lofanga, and Mo'unga'one! Through the Climate Resilient Islands (CRI)
Programme, community members came together to reflect on their existing
resources, map out their sources of livelihood, and share in valuable
indigenous knowledge. From traditional agriculture and handicraft practices to
ocean management and local early warning indicators. These consultation
sessions provided an essential space to listen to local voices, evaluate
community decision-making structures, and integrate gender equality,
disability, and social inclusion (GEDSI) into local planning. Together, we are
building inclusive, five-year community resilience action plans that honor
traditional wisdom while securing a sustainable, climate-resilient future for
Ha'apai.

17/09/2026

Successful launching of the community resilience building booklet for our local people under our Negotiated Partnership Agreement with Habitat for Humanity NZ. The booklet has been designed with simple shelter resilience principles and practical contents to guide our communities when building their own homes. We hope to distribute this booklet to our targeted communities in the next phase of the program in the coming months and work closely with relevant sectors and Government Agencies including the Ministry of Infrastructure for greater visibility and impact of the initiative at the grass root levels.

Special thanks to the main donor of the program MFAT and the NZ Government.

21/08/2026

Successfully launched the Climate Resilience Island (CRI) Program Next in the Island of Haapai. The program will be piloted in 10 communities including some of the remote islands in Haapai for the next 5 years. The CRI Next program will focus on food security, DRR, Environmental Protection and WASH. The team will start the initial engagement with the targeted communities next week and utilizes the community development plan (CDP) designed by MORDI. The communities who have yet to establish a CDP, the project will develop a community resilience profile for each of them as part of the activities.

Special thanks to MFAT and the Government of NZ for funding the CRI Next program in 6 countries in the Pacific where live and learn office is present.

17/08/2026

Completing the signing ceremony of our contracts with MEIDECC under the Tonga Climate Change Fund(TCCF). Live and Learn Tonga was fortunate enough to secure 3 contracts under TCCF through the Agriculture window of funding, Agroforestry, and Renewable Energy. The 3 projects will focus on w**d mat and irrigation system for commercial farmers as part of the drought response for the sector, coastal strengthening through coastal tree planting program and the conservation of cultural and medicinal trees in the western communities of Tongatapu. The renewable energy project will focus on the installation of roof top solar to assist with vulnerable communities and households in the island of ‘Eueiki and Tongatapu.

Special thanks to MEIDECC and development partners for the financial assistance under TCCF and we are looking forward for the next cycle.

10/08/2026

🎉On the 22nd of July 2026, Live and Learn Tonga (LLT) had launch 🇹🇴 Tonga Resilient Island Water, Sanitation Adaptation (TRIWSA) project in the island of Vava‘u. This marks the beginning of this project for duration of three years (July 2026 – June 2029). This project aims to achieve the following activities in 7 targeted communities and 2 schools, mainly in Vavau, Haapai, Eua and Tongatapu.

1️⃣ Strengthen community disaster preparedness and emergency response plans
2️⃣ Upgrading WASH facilities for people living with disabilities, evacuation
centres, households and schools
3️⃣ Tree planting to protect shorelines

LLT would like to show our appreciation to MEIDECC, Ministry of Land and Survey,
Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education and Training, MAFF, His Majesty's Armed Forces, Ministry of Police, Tonga Red Cross, Local governance (DRR cluster
members), Governor of Vavau and his people for celebrating with us this great
milestone. Our strong collaboration will surely impact communities and drive this
project to success.

TRIWSA project is generously funded 🤝 by the Department of Foreign Affairs and
Trade Australia under their Tala Kei Kapa investment which significantly supports
building resilience in our vulnerable island 🏝️.

17/06/2026

Live & Learn Tonga, through our Climate Resilient Islands (CRI) WASH Programme, recently completed a number of activities across communities in the island of Vavaʻu as part of its ongoing efforts to strengthen community resilience, improve access to safe and reliable water, and promote sustainable water resource management.

These activities include:
- Basic Home Plumbing Training for Women in our 9 target communities.
- Installation of an 80-meter water meter box in Taʻanea
-Installation of 28 pressure pumps with sheds in Talihau
-Installation of water meters to support improved water management
- Handover of 9 toolbox to our 9 target communities

Once again, we extend our sincere appreciation to MFAT for their continuous support in funding this initiative, and to our partner communities, stakeholders, and supporters for their ongoing collaboration and commitment.

29/05/2026

On 27 May 2026, the target beneficiaries from the 9 communities of this project
gathered at Ma’ama Mo’onia Hall in Neiafu for a truly momentous occasion — the
Official Handover Programme of the Climate Resilient Island Project. This joyful
milestone marked the successful completion of a transformative initiative funded by
the Government of New Zealand through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
and proudly implemented by Live and Learn Tonga.
The hall was filled with excitement as distinguished guests joined the celebration:
The Guest of Honor, His Excellency Mr. Broody Sinclair, New Zealand High
Commissioner to Tonga; the Honourable Governor of Vava’u, Lord Fakatulolo; Dr.
Robin Havea Chairman of the Live and Learn Tonga Board; Ms. Edith Kamundi,
representing Live and Learn Australia; Mr. ‘Alani Afu, Country Manager for Live and
Learn Tonga; and representatives from the 9 communities — Koloa, Holeva,
Tu’anekivale, Ha’alaufuli, Pangaimotu, ‘Utulei, ‘Utungake, and Talihau.
The program opened with uplifting hymns lead by the Mailefihi and Siulikutapu
Brass Band, followed by a heartfelt prayer led by Mr. Samiuela Hala’ufia the Head
Tutor for the College.
The highlight of the day was the community exhibits, where guests were inspired by
the remarkable achievements in the food security, ecosystem restoration, disaster
risk reduction and WASH pathways in which the project had empowered the 9
communities. Beautiful handicrafts made from different varieties of pandanus, and
paper mulberry showcased how families have strengthened their livelihoods while
embracing sustainable futures.
The celebrations ended with the formal presentation of certificates to the 9
communities a proud symbol of their resilience and completion of these initiatives by
the Guest of Honor. Communities expressed their gratitude with the Honourable
Governor of Vava’u presenting gifts to the Guests of Honor and other important
guests solidifying their token of appreciation for all the assistance and support
provided over the lifetime of the project.
The formal remarks from the His Excellency Mr. Broody Sinclair, The New Zealand
High Commissioner to Tonga and the vote of thanks delivered by the Honourable
Governor of Vava’u Lord Fakatulolo echoed the spirit of the day: celebrating
accomplishments, honouring partnerships, and looking forward to even greater
collaborations in the future.
This was not just a handover ceremony — it was a celebration of empowerment,
resilience, completion of a project and a beginning of a new journey for these 9
communities in Vava’u.

18/05/2026