July Newsletter 2026

Jul 29, 2026 | Newsletters, Uncategorized | 0

July was a month full of stories, connections, celebrations, and meaningful progress at Sista. From sharing our journey through storytelling, creating spaces for conversations on wellbeing, celebrating our communities, and strengthening the systems behind our work — we continued moving forward together. Here are some of the highlights that shaped our month!

Advancing women’s leadership and representation;

Sista Featured in PACMAS Impact Story

Sista’s Acting Executive Director and Communications & Advocacy Coordinator were interviewed by ABC International Development as part of a Pacific Media Assistance Scheme (PACMAS) impact video showcasing organisations that have strengthened journalism, storytelling, and audience engagement through the PACMAS Content Fund.

The interview reflected on Sista’s experience producing the Round Table Podcast, highlighting the project’s achievements, the lessons learned, and the impact it has had in creating space for meaningful conversations on issues affecting communities across Vanuatu.

Sista is honoured to have been invited to share its story and extends a heartfelt thank you to ABC International Development and PACMAS for their continued support of independent Pacific storytelling and local media initiatives.

Eliminating gender-based violence and harmful stereotypes

Reemi-Supported Period Underwear Trial Continues

As part of the period underwear trial, the team developed a participant survey for the Period Underwear Trial to gather feedback on participants’ experiences. The feedback of the survey will help Sista to understand the effectiveness, comfort, and practicality of period underwear as a reusable menstrual hygiene product in Vanuatu. The responses will help improve menstrual health education and increase access to sustainable menstrual products. She also updated the Period Underwear Trial tracking spreadsheet to ensure the layout suits the participant information. This project was was supported by Reemi.

Coming Soon: Mind & Bodi Tok Podcast

Throughout July, the Sista team spent time planning and preparing for the upcoming Mind & Bodi Tok Podcast. From refining episode content and production plans to coordinating with wellbeing practitioners, the team laid the groundwork for a podcast that will explore self-care, mental health, and holistic wellbeing through conversations that are relatable, practical, and grounded in the Vanuatu context. Stay tuned—we can’t wait to share it with you!

Strengthening the feminist movement in Vanuatu and the Pacific to progress gender equality

Celebrating Our People, Communities and Vanuatu’s Milestones

July was filled with opportunities to celebrate and raise awareness through a number of important national and international days, including World Population Day on 11 July, World Youth Skills Day on 15 July, Children’s Day on 24 July, and Vanuatu’s 46th Independence Day on 30 July.

These moments gave us the chance to celebrate the people who make Vanuatu what it is—our young people, our children, and our communities—while encouraging conversations about the issues that matter and recognising the strength, resilience, and diversity that continue to shape our country.

Building a resilient, locally-led, feminist organization

Operations & Team Updates

This month was filled with important milestones behind the scenes as the Sista team continued to strengthen our operations and celebrate our people.

We kicked off the month by renewing staff contracts for the Sista team and supporting our Finance Lead in preparing documentation for the annual audit. The team also worked diligently to compile supporting documents for several key initiatives, including Reemi, the UAF Earthquake Booklet, and We Rise, ensuring our reporting and project documentation remained on track.

With several major projects successfully completed at the end of the previous month, the team took a well-deserved self-care and reflection day at Emily’s residence. It was an opportunity to pause, celebrate our achievements, reflect on the busy months behind us, and reconnect through team-building activities. Investing in our team’s wellbeing is an important part of sustaining the work we do.

As the month came to a close, we said farewell to two valued members of the Sista family.

We thank Emily for her dedication and commitment during her time as Project and Operations Support. Since joining us in April, Emily has made valuable contributions to the organisation, and we are grateful for her hard work and positive spirit. We wish her every success in her future endeavours and hope our paths cross again.

We also bid a heartfelt farewell to Rosina, one of Sista’s longest-serving staff members. Over the years, Rosina grew from Projects Officer to Projects Coordinator, playing an instrumental role in advancing our programmes and contributing to the feminist movement in Vanuatu. Her passion, leadership, and commitment have left a lasting impact on both the organisation and the communities we serve. We thank Rosina for her years of dedicated service and wish her every success in the exciting journey ahead.

Financial Accountability & Reporting

Throughout July, the Sista Finance Lead continued to strengthen the organization’s financial accountability by preparing comprehensive summaries of project expenditures and compiling supporting documentation, including receipts, invoices, pay slips, bank statements, and other financial records. This work plays a vital role in ensuring transparency, maintaining donor compliance, and demonstrating the responsible stewardship of project funds.

Soft Launch of the New Mamas’ Handicraft Centre

Our Program Manager recently attended the soft launch of the new Mamas’ Handicraft Centre, now located in the former Au Bon Marche building in the heart of Port Vila.

The new centre provides a permanent home for women handicraft sellers who were displaced from the Centre Point building following the 2024 earthquake. The space offers a welcoming environment where women can continue producing and selling authentic Vanuatu-made products while supporting their families.

The centre has been designed as a vibrant hub for local enterprise and tourism. The ground floor features a marketplace for locally made products, the first floor is home to the handicraft mamas where visitors can learn about their work and stories, and the second floor is dedicated to learning, innovation and enterprise.

During the launch, speakers highlighted the centre’s role in promoting women-led businesses, preserving Vanuatu’s cultural heritage, and strengthening the local economy through tourism and support for locally made products. The initiative also reflects the value of strong partnerships between the private sector, government and community in creating sustainable opportunities for local artisans.

We congratulate the Mamas’ Handicraft Centre and all partners involved on this important milestone and look forward to seeing the centre become a leading destination for authentic Vanuatu-made products and cultural experiences.

Strengthening Our Communications

Throughout July, the Project Coordinator supported the Communications and Advocacy Coordinator by updating project information for completed initiatives that had not yet been published on the Sista website. She also compiled the monthly newsletter content, helping to ensure that both the website and newsletter remained up to date and accurately reflected Sista’s ongoing work, achievements, and impact.

Strengthening Stakeholder Connections and Knowledge Sharing

As part of the APC Numan Grant, the Project Coordinator worked on strengthening Sista’s stakeholder engagement systems by compiling stakeholder contact information from the Sista Library and developing a stakeholder database to support the review and updating of records.

Stakeholders were also contacted to verify their contact details, provide updated information where changes had occurred, and share any new publications or resources that could be added to the Sista Library. This initiative supports improved communication, strengthens relationships with partners, and helps ensure the continued growth of Sista’s knowledge resources.

Celebrating Vanuatu’s Literary Talent

Members of the Sista team were delighted to attend the Vanuatu Literary Awards on 29 July, celebrating the incredible creativity, talent, and voices of writers from across the country.

The event highlighted the power of poetry and storytelling to inspire, preserve culture, and share lived experiences. Guests had the privilege of hearing several prize-winning authors read their work and speak about how language, culture, and personal experiences can transport readers into their world while strengthening Vanuatu’s rich literary heritage.

Congratulations to all the award winners and everyone who submitted their work. Your creativity and dedication are helping to shape the future of Vanuatu’s literary community. Sista is proud to celebrate your achievements and looks forward to seeing your talents continue to flourish and your stories inspire future generations.

Congratulations once again on your well-deserved success!

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‘The scars children carry can last a lifetime’ August 13, 2026
Amid the public outrage and questions over the President’s recent pardoning of convicted rapists and the alarming increase in child abuse cases in Vanuatu, the REACH Family Centre is calling on Parliament to pass the proposed Child Protection Bill, saying stronger laws are needed to hold people who abuse children accountable. Every day at the REACH Family Centre, Mansen Roy and Salokie Narfi work alongside children experiencing challenges no child should face. Some are struggling with overwhelming stress. Others are navigating violence at home, bullying, online harm and the fear of speaking out. For Narfi, a counsellor and group work practitioner for children and adolescents, the hardest part is seeing how many suffer in silence. “Children want to come for help, but they are scared of the consequences,” she says. “Some are afraid their parents will find out. Others are afraid nobody will believe them.” Using drawing, play therapy and other child-friendly approaches, Narfi helps children express emotions they cannot find the words for. She remembers one child who repeatedly blacked out at school. “Through counselling, the child understood the emotional pain carried,” she says. “The mother also received counselling. Today that child is brighter, more confident and looking forward to the future.” But not every story has such a hopeful ending. Roy, REACH’s Acting Executive Director, says many of the challenges children face are made worse by gaps in protection and understanding. “Violence against children remains one of the biggest issues,” he says. “We should teach, guide and love children,” he says. “Wrong treatment can create trauma that children carry for their whole lives, like a scar that never goes away.” Against this backdrop, REACH is pushing for the proposed Child Protection Bill to reach Parliament and become law. Both Roy and Narfi say the legislation would strengthen their work by creating a clearer approach to responding when children are at risk of serious harm, including sexual abuse. It would also help place children’s wellbeing at the centre of decision-making. “This Bill will support our work in the field,” Mansen says. “The justice system punishes perpetrators, but what about the survivors? Children also need healing, psychological support and protection to move forward into the future.” Narfi says the law would also ensure serious cases of abuse are recognised early and responded to properly. “Children are the future of the country,” she says. “If this Bill passes, we can build a stronger Vanuatu with children who are supported, protected and able to become the future leaders of our nation.” REACH is one of the few organisations in Vanuatu providing holistic support to entire families, working with mothers, fathers and children together because lasting change begins at home. Yet the demand for counselling and mental health support continues to grow, while resources remain limited. Roy believes passing the Child Protection Bill is no longer simply a legal decision – it is a moral one. “Child protection affects everyone because every one of us was once a child,” he says. For the children who are too frightened to speak, and for those still carrying invisible scars, the time to act is now. SOURCE: VANUATU DAILY POST

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Man remanded over alleged sexual assault of four-year-old girl August 13, 2026
A man from Tanna has been remanded in custody after being charged over the alleged sexual assault of a four-year-old girl at Salili on Efate last week. The accused, identified in a remand warrant as Simeon Tom Yatika, appeared before the Port Vila Magistrates’ Court on 11 August 2026. He is charged with unlawful sexual intercourse, contrary to section 97(1) of the Penal Code [CAP 135]. The prosecution applied for the accused to be held in custody, and the court granted the application. The warrant directs the officer in charge of the Correctional Centre to keep Yatika in custody until his next appearance on 25 August 2026 at 9am. A source close to the Magistrates’ Court said the court was informed that the alleged victim suffered injuries and experienced difficulty using the toilet after the incident. The court also reportedly heard that the accused had been receiving mental health care but had not attended medical appointments for some time. The circumstances surrounding that information remain matters for the court and relevant medical professionals to consider. The allegations have not been tested at trial. The accused has not been convicted and is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The case has caused concern and renewed public frustration over the protection of children and the handling of sexual offence cases in Vanuatu. Many members of the public are expected to question whether vulnerable children are receiving adequate protection, medical care and support after alleged abuse. The case also comes amid wider criticism from women’s groups over the treatment of child sex offenders and calls for stronger safeguards in decisions involving pardons and accountability. Women’s groups have recently urged the Government to review the presidential pardon process following the pardoning of men convicted of sexually abusing children. Community members have called for the justice system to respond firmly to allegations involving children, while also stressing the importance of allowing the courts to assess the evidence fairly and independently. Under Vanuatu law, sexual intercourse with a child under 13 is a serious criminal offence, with the law providing a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. The prosecution must nevertheless prove the charge beyond reasonable doubt before a conviction can be entered. The matter remains before the Port Vila Magistrates’ Court. The child’s identity has been withheld to protect her privacy. SOURCE: VANUATU DAILY POST

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Cervical cancer preventable, yet a leading cause of death among Vanuatu women August 12, 2026
Minister of Health Robert Bohn said cervical cancer remains one of the leading causes of death among women in Vanuatu, yet it is entirely preventable through vaccination, screening and early treatment. Speaking at the official launch of the Vanuatu National Cervical Cancer Elimination Strategy 2026–2035 yesterday, Minister Bohn said access to these highly effective prevention measures had previously been limited or unavailable in Vanuatu. As a result, women were often diagnosed at advanced stages of the disease, when treatment options were limited and survival rates were lower. Minister Bohn said the launch reaffirmed a collective commitment to ensuring women and girls have access to prevention, screening and treatment services, with their health, dignity and future at the centre of the national effort. “The Vanuatu Strategy aligns with the World Health Organization’s Global Strategy to Accelerate the Elimination of Cervical Cancer as a Public Health Problem and its 90-70-90 coverage targets: 90 per cent of girls fully vaccinated with HPV by age 15; 70 per cent of women screened with an HPV test or other high-performance test by ages 35 and 45; and 90 per cent of women with cervical pre-cancer treated and women with invasive cancer appropriately managed,” he said. The Minister of Health said the Government of Vanuatu, through this strategy, is reaffirming its commitment to achieving these goals by 2035. Mr. Bohn said Vanuatu now has accessible, culturally appropriate and scalable approaches to prevention, and together the country can make a difference for women and families across the country. “The country has already made significant progress on this pathway, and today I would like to acknowledge the persistence, advocacy and hard work of health and community workers to reduce the preventable burden, incidence, illness and death caused by cervical cancer,” he said. “An opportunistic screening programme has existed since 2008, with national Human Papillomavirus (HPV)-based screening implemented in 2022, and close to 20,000 women screened to date. The hard work of the Vanuatu Ministry of Health, the Vanuatu Family Health Association and the Ikkana Cancer Society has meant that access to screening has been made available across all provinces, with over 3,500 women receiving treatment.” Mr. Bohn said Vanuatu is also protecting girls from cervical cancer through HPV vaccination, with the national HPV vaccination programme beginning in 2023 and 16,412 girls vaccinated to date. He said this ensures that today’s girls grow up protected, empowered and free from a disease that previously often arrived too late for treatment. “With continued awareness and coordinated delivery strategies, communities learn that the HPV vaccine protects their children and they therefore want their children to be vaccinated,” he said. “As we endorse this document, we acknowledge the journey of women and families affected, the conscientious efforts of health and community workers to improve health outcomes and the valued collaboration of international partners which strengthens our progress. “The Strategy presents a roadmap to strengthen and sustain current efforts, prioritising primary health care, public health approaches and people-centred service delivery tailored to the Vanuatu context.” Minister Bohn said sustained progress would require long-term, sustainable financing and continued coordinated efforts across sectors and disciplines to ensure Vanuatu remains on the path to eliminating cervical cancer. He said the Government of Vanuatu is committed to ensuring activities are adequately coordinated, funded and maintained over time. “Government commits to ensuring that no woman is left unseen, no girl unprotected, and no life lost to a preventable disease,” he said. The senior consultant in obstetrics and gynaecology, medical lead for the cervical cancer screening programme and chairperson of the development of the cervical cancer elimination strategy, Dr Boniface Damutalau, said the document launched yesterday provides a roadmap for combating cervical cancer. He said cervical cancer screening began in 2022 using new technologies to detect pre-cancerous lesions, and the launch of the strategy provides guidance for screening, vaccination, treatment and sustainability of the programme through to 2035. “It’s a document that helps us with a roadmap of how we do our screening, our vaccination, our treatment of pre-cancerous lesions, and also it will help us with the sustainability of the programme for the next 10 to 15 years,” he said. Dr Damutalau said available data shows around 18 per cent of women have HPV infection, although he believes the figure could be higher because the hospital continues to see two or three new cervical cancer cases each month. He explained that the best way to prevent cervical cancer is through immunisation of young girls aged around 9 to 14 years and regular screening. Dr Damutalau said screening is the only way to detect cervical cancer early, allowing treatment to begin before the disease progresses. He said Vanuatu can currently treat stage 1 cervical cancer locally, while women with more advanced stages must travel overseas for further treatment. “There are a lot of challenges. I think the biggest ones that we encounter are that Vanuatu is very sparse, with different islands, so there is a lot of geography we have to go through, and human resources are also one of the important things that we combat every day,” he said. “Human resources across ministries are not enough, but we always try to reach as far as where women live, from remote places in the north down to the south.” Dr Damutalau acknowledged the efforts made by women who come forward to clinics for screening. He said there are currently two clinics providing services, one in Port Vila and one in Luganville. Cervical cancer is caused by HPV, and once a woman becomes infected, the virus can change cells on the cervix, causing them to become cancerous. Dr Damutalau said most HPV infections clear naturally, but some remain and can increase the risk of cervical cancer. He said about 90 per cent of cervical cancers are linked to HPV, which is why vaccination and early screening are important. SOURCE: VANUATU DAILY POST

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More boys than girls drop out of school August 12, 2026
More boys than girls are dropping out of secondary schools in Vanuatu, with TORBA Province recording the highest dropout rate. Boys are repeating grades more than girls at both primary and secondary levels across all provinces, and TORBA Province again has the highest repetition rate. These findings were conveyed by the Director of Policy and Planning at the Ministry of Education and Training (MoET), John Gideon, in his presentation to set the tone for discussions at the National Education Forum in Port Vila. He said more boys are leaving school for reasons beyond the classroom, such as the cost of education, distance to school and boarding challenges. In 2016, Vanuatu came up with a policy requiring children to start formal primary school at age 6. Director Gideon revealed that the net enrolment rate has been declining since 2023, with girls recording a higher rate while boys’ participation remains lower. Girls also recorded higher gross enrolment rates than boys at every level. Director Gideon also mentioned that the education system is not retaining students, especially at the secondary level. He said about 41 out of every 100 children who start Year 1 remain in school by Year 6, and only about 5 out of every 100 continue through to Year 13. Director Gideon highlighted that the number of early childhood centres has decreased since 2022, primary schools have remained stable, while secondary schools have grown the most, with 67 new schools established since 2015. “There are over 5,400 teachers, but they are not where the students are,” he said. SHEFA, TAFEA and SANMA have the most senior secondary schools, while TORBA faces a severe shortage of junior secondary teachers. Director Gideon encouraged participants at the forum to examine what the data reveals about boys’ engagement in the education system, how to increase enrolment in early childhood and the relationship between enrolment and student progress. Currently, 104,510 students are enrolled across more than 1,000 registered schools in Vanuatu. However, Director General Cherol Ala pointed out that not all children are in school, highlighting the need to improve access, enrolment and participation. While literacy and numeracy outcomes continue to decline, she said monitoring of the nationwide Curriculum Improvement Program (CIP), launched last year, is showing improved outcomes in student learning. Other challenges she mentioned include student and teacher attendance, high dropout rates, limited access to formal training and qualifications, school infrastructure, access to schools and rolling out internet connectivity. She reminded everyone about the ministry’s mission to provide young people with lifelong skills, values and confidence to become self-reliant and contribute to development. Throughout the four-day National Education Forum, government leaders, educators and partners have discussed what has not worked and what needs to be done to improve education outcomes. The forum ends today. SOURCE: VANUATU DAILY POST

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Vanuatu’s education crisis a ‘national disaster’ – Pikinini Playtime CEO August 12, 2026
Pikinini Playtime founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Tony Batten has described Vanuatu’s education situation as a “national disaster”, warning that poor literacy outcomes among children could affect the country’s future development. Speaking during an interview on Kava Mo Kajap, Mr. Batten said reports that around 70 per cent of children are unable to read and write at the expected level should be treated as a serious national concern. “I think it is a national disaster, like a hurricane or an earthquake,” Mr. Batten said. He said Vanuatu’s greatest resource is not its land or natural resources, but its people, and education is the foundation needed to develop that human resource. “Human resources are the number one resource for Vanuatu,” he said. Mr. Batten said countries that have successfully moved from being less developed to more advanced economies have done so by investing heavily in education and building a skilled population. However, he said Vanuatu’s current education results remain a major concern despite the country spending a significant amount of its national budget on education. “Vanuatu gives a lot of money per capita into education, but the results are still among the lowest in the Pacific,” he said. The Pikinini Playtime founder said the challenge is not only about funding but about how the education system delivers results. He questioned why many students continue to leave school without basic reading and writing skills despite years spent in classrooms. Mr. Batten said the impact of poor education outcomes can also be seen in the country’s workforce, where businesses often recruit skilled workers from overseas to fill positions. “We bring people from the Philippines and other countries to do accounting, bookkeeping, management, building and supervisory work, but many ni-Vanuatu are not able to take those opportunities because they do not have the basic education,” he said. He said the literacy issue must be addressed early because children who fail to develop strong reading skills in their early years often struggle throughout their education journey. Mr. Batten also raised concerns about the value placed on education within the system. He said teacher absenteeism, weak accountability and a lack of support for educators contribute to children losing confidence in learning. “When children see that school is not important, they begin to believe they don’t need school,” he said. Mr. Batten acknowledged that many teachers are working under difficult conditions but said the system needs stronger support, training and leadership to improve outcomes. He believes improving education requires everyone involved — government, schools, teachers, principals and parents — to work together. “Children are smart. They have the ability. But they need the right support and the right opportunities,” he said. Mr. Batten said addressing literacy must become a national priority because the future of Vanuatu depends on the quality of education provided to today’s children. SOURCE: VANUATU DAILY POST

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July Newsletter 2026

Advancing women’s leadership and representation;

Eliminating gender-based violence and harmful stereotypes

Strengthening the feminist movement in Vanuatu and the Pacific to progress gender equality

Building a resilient, locally-led, feminist organization

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NEWS

Join Us

Archives

Sista i Shine

Youth writing entries close June 30 as final days tick down

July Newsletter 2026

Advancing women’s leadership and representation;

Eliminating gender-based violence and harmful stereotypes

Strengthening the feminist movement in Vanuatu and the Pacific to progress gender equality

Building a resilient, locally-led, feminist organization

Related Posts

Communications and Advocacy Coordinator Role

November Newsletter 2022

January Newsletter 2025

October Newsletter 2023

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Youth writing entries close June 30 as final days tick down