Caption: Assistant Minister for Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management Hon. Jovesa Vocea with the women of Nawairabe Village following the commissioning of their new and improved Ecological Purification System (EPS).

SUVA – The completion of the Nawairabe Ecological Purification System (EPS) Project in the remote village of Nawairabe in the district of Nasikawa, located in the interior of Navosa has brought much relief to many, especially women.

Ms. Emily Naivalurua, a mother-of-five is among the many women who have lauded Government for this much needed assistance.

“Before I have to walk for at least 100metres to get to a small river that runs by the village to wash clothes and also fetch water for cooking, consumption and bathing. There was not much we could do, and we were always concerned about any health implications this consumption of untreated water may have on our health and that of our children. But when we were informed of this assistance by Government, we were not only happy, but we were very much relieved knowing that a huge burden has now been lifted off our shoulders,” said Ms Naivalurua.

“All the women of this village are happy because we now have clean and safe drinking water and we can access this right in our homes. We are thankful that Government has helped us through the provision of clean water.”

The Nawairabe EPS Project was funded by Government under the Ministry of Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management’s Self-Help Programme (SHP) at a cost of more than $40,000.

The project was also co-funded by the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) Governance for Resilience Project – adopting Risk – Informed Development (RID) measures that will ensure the sustainability and resilience of the project.

In his remarks during the commissioning of the project, Assistant Minister for Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management Hon. Jovesa Vocea stated that Government would be conducting similar projects across rural and maritime communities in Fiji.

Hon. Vocea has also thanked the previous Government for initiating the project.

Caption: Assistant Minister for Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management Hon. Jovesa Vocea fills a glass to mark the commissioning of the Nawairabe Ecological Purification System (EPS).

-ENDS-

The Ministry of Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management is responsible for implementing development strategies that bring Fijians living in rural and maritime regions the same level of access to essential services and economic opportunities as anywhere else in the country. We coordinate and implement the Fiji Government’s rural and maritime development initiatives with a mission to empower Fiji’s rural sector. We also spearhead disaster risk reduction initiatives at national and sub-national level including disaster preparedness, response, and recovery. We have offices for each of Fiji’s 14 provinces including Rotuma, leading the Fiji Government’s rural development and disaster risk management operations.

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