Kawan Bairiki community, is a high density residential area on the government leased land at Bairiki. Kawan Bairiki community are therefore settling on whatever open space is available in the build-up area of Urban Bairiki. The physical environments of this sector of Kawan Bairiki village are suffering from increasing household waste, sewage and refuse, imported waste such as plastics, glass and aluminum foil and other pollutants. Underground freshwater resources (water lens) are being endangered from pollutants from various sources, including unsupervised solid waste dumping, siting of pig pens, and open defecation. Compounding matters in the village is the growing population that has seen Kawan Bairiki village population more than doubled since the last census in 2010 (Census 2015). Currently, the whole Bairiki village population of 4524 consists of 2244 women and 2280 men.
Conservation of freshwater resources is of prime importance to the village community because much of the Kawan Bairiki land area is situated on a narrow strip of Bairiki islet and therefore offers little to nothing in terms of developed freshwater lens. The beachfront area occupied by the village community lack adequate freshwater supplies. The lack of proper toilets has led to open defecation which is the main concern as the main source for well water contamination. There is the general lack of proper sanitation facilities in the village and the people and children especially are unfamiliar with the need to use proper sanitation measures. Community health is being affected and therefore the full economic and social wellbeing of the village is also being affected.
There is the lack of proper placing of pig pens and other solid waste away from household areas, water wells and the beach. Land degradation combined with very poor soil quality has become significant problems because of increased human pressure on the land and improper use of natural resources. There is a definite lack of promotion of biodiversity conservation measures, the food trees and vegetable gardening that supports the traditional livelihoods of the village community.
1.2 Rationale of the Project
To reduce pollution stress on the underground freshwater resource and at the same time help contribute to reduction of global climate change, the community will be engaged in health and sanitation trainings and improving waste management by e.g. moving pigpens further inland and away from wells, and construction/demonstration of septic toilets, using polypropylene tanks; a solar electricity and water pumping system for the village Maneaba. Biodiversity conservation will be enhanced through the establishment of a garden center to be used by the village women and youth to promote gardening of traditional medicinal plants and vegetables in individual households.
GEF SGP support will result in mobilizing and fostering active community participation for a sustainable village management programme. The Tenarikai Maneaba has been constructed under this community?s own funding, to provide for the management and monitoring of the Kawan Bairiki sustainable village project and where capacity building training programmes for women?s groups, youth and children can be conducted. GEF SGP support will focus on provision of demonstration projects centered at the Maneaba, and includes climate change technologies safe water and sanitation and sustainable land management activities. The rationale of the demonstration project is to pave the way for individual village householders to begin to implement own sustainable household projects of their own.
2.0 PROJECT PURPOSE
2.1 Impact of Project
The following impacts are expected:
- Protection of underground freshwater supplies will provide good quality well water for the community.
- Capacity building of the local communities will develop long term human capital within the community. The trained and motivated community groups can bring numerous other benefits to local communities such as improved health, education, drinking water etc.
- A community based sustainable village conservation model will also set ground for future interventions in the conservation area for the village.
- A major risk would be if community does not get properly involved in the process. However, the Tenarikai Maneaba Committee (TMC) which is elected by the community, has very strong relations within the Kawan Bairiki community at large and enjoys trust of local people, would address the risks identified.
Specifically, a sustainable village management plan will be developed through capacity building trainings and will include:
- A sanitation and public health training programme
- A containment area for the solid waste landfill together with compost gardening using organic solid waste from land fill.
- Home gardens of vegetables and medicinal trees and plants
- A suitable toilet with solar powered water system for the Tenarikai Maneaba


2.2 Project Description
The main aim of the Project is to provide Kawan Bairiki village with the capacity to effectively manage environmental risks/threats to underground freshwater resources as well as the health and social wellbeing of its communities from impacts of population growth, increased solid waste disposal, and open defecation and at the same time demonstrate its support to promote measures to conserve biodiversity and adapt to impacts of climate change. The project mainly focuses on involving communities, women?s groups, youth and young children in a sustainable village management programme for the Kawan Bairiki communities. Activities proposed in the project are focused on educating and involving the Kawan Bairiki village community in capacity training workshops, public health and sanitation trainings, and proper waste management practices to protect the fragile resources of the village community. The following activities associated with the main objectives would lead to more sensitized local communities:
- Sustainable village conservation program
- Solid waste management and compost gardening
- Environmental awareness training on sanitation and waste management
- Construction of community toilet and solar electricity to pump the water system
- Climate adaptation and mitigation awareness
All activities will demonstrate conservation, mitigation, community awareness, and livelihood and development activities. The land resources are owned by Kawan Bairiki communities and together with government agencies, Teinainano Urban Council (TUC) and the Tenarikai Maneaba Committee (TMC), acting as advisors to the project, will implement the agreed upon activities.