ActionAid expands women’s network to seven islands

May 27, 2025 | Initiatives and Projects | 0

Flora Vano, Country Programme Manager, ActionAid Vanuatu.

ActionAid Vanuatu has extended its Women I Tok Tok Tugeta (WITTT) network to Epi and Tongoa islands, bringing the total number of islands involved in the initiative to seven. The expansion is a major step in supporting women and girls—including those living with disabilities—to become community leaders and agents of change.

Previously operating in Tanna, Erromango, Malo, Efate, and Malekula, with over 9,000 members, ActionAid’s latest move is part of an ongoing effort to promote women’s leadership in rural and disaster-prone communities.

“I’m confidently saying that Epi and Tongoa are moving into the network, making it seven islands now,” said Flora Vano, Country Programme Manager of ActionAid Vanuatu. “There is potential for more islands to join, but for now, we confirm seven islands where WITTT is established.”

The expansion follows the organisation’s recent disaster response during twin cyclones Judy and Kevin, which saw the ActionAid team mobilising to deliver food and support to women, girls, and people with disabilities in Epi and Tongoa. That response opened the door for WITTT’s introduction in those areas.

“Disasters are often the entry point,” Vano explained. “We don’t always have the funding to set up the network during normal days, so when disaster strikes, we use the opportunity to introduce our programs.”

The WITTT network is designed to train women and girls in leadership, governance, disaster response, and national policy, aligning with Vanuatu’s development goals. ActionAid provides workshops and hands-on training so participants not only gain skills but also understand their roles in building resilient communities.

“Sometimes women and girls don’t participate in community leadership because they don’t understand what’s expected,” Vano said. “But ActionAid Vanuatu trains them and helps them see that they can lead. When they return to their communities, they understand what they’re doing and why it matters.”

A unique aspect of the network is its inclusion of people with disabilities. The WITTT Sunshine network, an extension of the main programme, is specifically designed for participants with disabilities. This network is now being introduced in Nguna-Pele following the December 17 earthquake.

Despite receiving requests from additional islands to establish WITTT, limited funding remains a barrier to broader expansion.

“Our goal is to reach every island in Vanuatu,” Vano said. “But we can only expand based on the budget we have. Still, this network is already making a huge difference by empowering women, encouraging leadership, and ensuring no one feels left out.”

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SOURCE: VANUATU DAILY POST

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ActionAid expands women’s network to seven islands

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ActionAid expands women’s network to seven islands

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