The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), working through the Government’s Ministry of Youth and Sports, is providing $100,000 to support the Government’s rehabilitation and recovery efforts following Tropical Cyclone Winston.

The funding has been made available through the UNDP-funded Fiji Youth Strengthening Project and the European Union-funded Strengthening Citizen Engagement in Fiji Initiative (SCEFI) Project.

It is expected to mobilise around 500 youths in hard-hit areas under the guidance of the National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) and the use of the ‘Cash for Work’ modality to provide financial assistance for youth workers to support the recovery work.

The funding is expected to be facilitated in two-phases.

The first phase will see around 300 youths being mobilised as soon as possible to assist with the debris-clearance and the Government’s re-construction efforts in devastated communities. The second phase will see 200 youths being mobilised by the end of the second quarter of this year, to assist in the agricultural recovery work.

Around $30,000 will be used to procure the necessary equipment and supplies for the debris clearance, seedlings and equipment later for the replanting efforts.

Minister for Youth and Sports Laisenia Tuitubou, in welcoming the initiative, said: “This is a much-needed process to put our youths back to work and to be in a position to support their families.

“The youths have already been active in cleaning up debris in schools and this need to continue.  Now their efforts will be acknowledged and we thank our partners – UNDP, for working with us to make it happen,” Mr Tuitubou said.

Akiko Fujii, the UNDP deputy resident representative said: “This re-diversion of funding into immediate relief work is something UNDP is glad to consider at this time of need for Fijian people, particularly the youths who are the strength of the communities.”

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