Australian High Commission, Fiji

Six communities on Ovalau are now better prepared to respond when disasters strike.

With support from Australia, Fiji NDMO and Partners in Community Development Fiji (PCDF) worked with maritime communities to strengthen disaster preparedness, response and recovery, combining traditional knowledge with practical skills.

New Disaster Risk Management Committees have been established and trained to identify local hazards, develop community disaster action plans, strengthen inclusive response systems and test their readiness through simulation exercises.

For Mereseini Colata from Waitovu Village, the training has helped her community learn how to understand where cyclones are tracking so our communities can prepare early and respond safely. The training also showed us how important it is to make sure evacuation centres are safe and accessible for children, older persons and people with disabilities.

Across Fiji, Australia is working alongside community partners through the to strengthen community-based disaster risk management, supporting more than 2,800 people across 35 communities to better prepare, respond and recover.

| Climate action means helping communities prepare earlier, plan better, and respond to flooding.

Through the Fiji Climate Adaptation Program, Australia is working with Fiji to strengthen early warning systems, improve river and catchment management, and support community-led solutions.

In the Nadi River area, Australia partnered with the Fiji Meteorological Service to repair and install river gauge stations that track water levels in real time, helping authorities detect rising floods and issue timely warnings.

During the recent Tropical Cyclone Vaianu, the new and upgraded river gauge stations recorded peak flood levels of 10.27m at the Nadi Back Road bridge and around 5.6m at the Nadi Town bridge, facilitating timely and accurate flood analysis and warnings.

Through the , Australia is supporting Fiji to build resilience where it matters most - in communities.

Markets are important to women’s livelihoods across Fiji and the Pacific.

Through UN Women's Markets for Change program, Fiji and Australia co-funded the Nausori Market Women’s Accommodation Centre - helping make markets safer and enabling women vendors to grow their businesses.

Strong communities are built on people looking out for each other.

If you see suspicious or illegal activity, speaking up can help protect your family, your neighbours and your wider community.

Report what you know at www.pacificwatch.org

Akariva Nakiti and his family are planning for a stronger future, together.

Joined by his wife Senijeli Marama and their three children, the future PALM worker from Votua, Ba is taking steps to build lasting security for both family and community.

For Akariva, the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme is about more than overseas work. It’s a pathway to shared goals: building a new family home, developing a borehole, and creating a reliable water supply that will support their household and those around them. Above all, every decision is guided by what matters most - the care, wellbeing, and education of their children.

At the IOM Fiji Family Focus Workshop held in Nadi, Akariva and Senijeli reflected on their shared dreams and strengthened their planning skills through a whole‑of‑family approach, preparing to navigate the journey ahead as one.

The workshop is supported by the Fiji Ministry of Employment, Productivity and Workplace Relations and the Australian Government.

Learn more about the : 👉 palmscheme.gov.au