Strength, Stability & Independence, Through Shelter

What We Do

People in your community and all over the world partner with Habitat for Humanity to build or improve a place they can call home. Habitat for Humanity Fiji continuously strives to match technologies, materials and methods of assistance. In particular to concern the needs of the most vulnerable in practicality, cost and social acceptability. Thus, below are some of the projects Habitat for Humanity Fiji are involved in.

Shelter

Firstly, we build homes for those that really need it, if a household income is below a certain threshold. Thus, beneficiaries can apply to us for assistance. Furthermore, we also repair homes that do not meet current safety standards. As well as assist during disaster situations.

tataiya

WaSH

Secondly, we help households by providing clean water systems, and hygiene facilities. For example, wash-rooms and showers. In addition, we can provide safe waste management systems. For instance, safe toilet systems, to help reduce the spread of avoidable diseases.   

Varasiko wearing an orange t-shirt. His right hand is held up as he is speaking. He sits cross-legged on a woven mat inside his home.

Developing Community

Thirdly, we provide training to help develop communities. As an example, training to do home building and repair, including WaSH systems. In addition, we provide finance training to help beneficiaries save for their future. For instance, saving for school fees or a new home. 

Our Success!

One in four homeowners in Fiji live below national poverty line and a further 35% are at risk of falling into poverty in the future.
Habitat for Humanity Fiji works to address barriers and build resilience and security in local communities. Sepeca was inspired after attending Habitat for Humanity Fiji’s Build Back Safer training. He worked with our team of local carpenters to re-build and together they constructed a new saferoom for his family that could withstand future disasters.
After attending Habitat Fiji’s WaSH training, Josua and Eremasi were inspired to improve existing pit toilets in their village of Nativi. Using their combined skills, the duo upgraded basic latrines with ventilation and cement foundations, making them more hygienic and pleasant to use.
Most of the 18 communities that Habitat Fiji is working in has running water, however for many of these communities (and this is quite common in settlements and villages in Fiji) access to taps is shared. In some instances one or two taps are shared among a few households along with a common shower and toilet. Sometimes these shared taps can be a bit of a distance for some of its intended users and even more inconvenient for people with disabilities, mothers caring for children and elderly people.
For Kese Village in the Yasawa group of islands, Solar Water Disinfection is now commonly practised to ensure their water is as safe as possible for drinking. Solar Water Disinfection or SODIS involves filling clear plastic PET bottles with water and exposing the bottles to direct sunlight for at least 6 hours.
Fiji has a shortage of trained carpenters, prompting Habitat for Humanity Fiji (HFH) to partner with Fiji National University (FNU) to deliver construction training to 120 students. The community focused program is funded by the United Nations Development Program and will include training in wooden house construction, block house construction and sanitation and household plumbing through FNU’s Community-Based Non-Formal Education (CBNFE) program.
Mere is a health worker in Malevu Village, Fiji. Like many front-line workers Mere has been protecting her community in their fight against COVID-19. This pandemic can be a traumatic experience particularly for people living in rural and remote locations where access to affordable and quality healthcare is limited.
Nalaba District School is located in the Nalawa area of the Ra province in Fiji, a one hour drive from its closest township. This is one of six schools where Habitat Fiji is piloting the build of Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) blocks. MHM blocks are fitted with a shower and change space for female students to use should they experience their first periods or menses unexpectedly while in school.
When our WASH teams begin working  in a community, we don’t normally see impacts or outcomes until the fourth or fifth engagement. However, since we’ve started introducing Tippy Tap building demonstrations in our early trainings, we have found that some of the communities we work in begin erecting tippy taps on their own accord immediately after our first or second engagement with them. Tippy Taps don’t cost much to create, they don’t use as much water as a running tap and can be setup anywhere making hand washing a more convenient and frequent exercise.