Live & Learn Tonga Formally Launches the Tonga Resilient Island Water and Sanitation Adaptation (TRIWSA) Project in Vava‘u

Vava‘u, Tonga — July 22, 2026 — Live & Learn Tonga (LLT) has officially launched the Tonga Resilient Island Water and Sanitation Adaptation (TRIWSA) Project, marking a major milestone in strengthening climate resilience, water security, and community health across the Kingdom of Tonga.

Spanning three years—from July 2026 to June 2029—the multi-island initiative focuses on enhancing local disaster readiness, protecting vital freshwater resources, and modernizing sanitation infrastructure to help island communities adapt to the growing impacts of climate change, sea-level rise, and extreme weather events.

Core Objectives & Key Initiatives

The TRIWSA project will directly engage 7 targeted communities and 2 schools across Vava‘u, Ha‘apai, ‘Eua, and Tongatapu, focusing on three key pillars:

1. Strengthen Community Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Response Plans:
2. Upgrade WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) Infrastructure:
3. Coastal Protection and Ecosystem Restoration:

Key Stakeholders & Collaborative Partnerships

The launch event in Vava‘u celebrated strong cross-sector collaboration between local leadership, government ministries, and emergency response partners. Live & Learn Tonga extends its deepest appreciation to all key partners who made this landmark gathering possible and whose continued engagement will drive the project to success:

• Government & Ministry Partners: Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change and Communications (MEIDECC), Ministry of Land and Survey, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education and Training, and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forests (MAFF).
• Security & Emergency Services: His Majesty’s Armed Forces and the Ministry of Police.
• Humanitarian & DRR Partners: Tonga Red Cross and local governance representatives (DRR Cluster Members).
• Regional Leadership: The Governor of Vava‘u and the people of Vava‘u for hosting and celebrating this key milestone.

Generous Support from Australia

The TRIWSA project is generously funded by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) under their Tala Kei Kapa investment scheme. This significant partnership underscores Australia’s commitment to building long-term climate resilience, safeguarding vulnerable ecosystems, and securing health and dignity for island communities across Tonga.

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