Members of a youth club on Mali Island, will begin the New Year with proper farming tools.

Thanks to the timely delivery by the Minister for Youth and Sports Parveen Bala to Muanaira Youth Club of Nakawaga Village yesterday.

President of the youth club Pita Baro said their farms were damaged during the cyclone but with the assistance they would recover sooner.

The club has been running for ten years but was officially registered in 2019.

Mr Baro said they applied for the grant for the farm projects before the cyclone.

“With these tools it will not only help us prepare vegetable farms and crops but we can also supply vegetables and crops to the Labasa Market and earn some income for the club,” Mr Baro said.

“It is in our plans to work closely with the Ministry for food security, to sustain ourselves, families and community,” he said.

The club has a total of 34 members, 20 males and 14 females.

While greeting the gathering for the New Year, Mr Bala explained how the youth farm initiative was launched six months ago in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mali is a 45-minute boat ride from Labasa.

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