Australian Parliamentarians applaud leadership at Eton Women’s Resilience Market
July 31, 2024 3:00 am | Posted in Business News | Share now TwitterFacebook
By Nicholas Mwai.
The delegation of Australian parliamentarians who are in Vanuatu to visit various development programs have commended the leadership reflected in the operations of the Women I Tok Tok Tugeta (WITTT) Resilience market at Eton Village, Efate.
The group includes Member of Parliament (MP) Michael McCormack, Kate Thwaites MP, Sharon Claydon MP, Angie Bell MP, Dan Tehan MP, and Senator Steph Hodgins-May.
Flora Vano, Programme Manager of ActionAid, provided an overview of ActionAid’s work in Vanuatu.
“We started with 3,000 women in 2015 during Cyclone Pam, and the network has grown to include 9,000 women, with 1,000 of them being women and girls with disability. We were active on three islands, and now we operate on around seven islands,” she said. This network has been crucial in responding to multiple natural disasters, including Tropical Cyclone (TC) Harold in 2020 and the twin cyclones earlier last year.
Vano emphasised the importance of localising their efforts, involving only Ni-Vanuatu women, and creating safe spaces for them. She highlighted the resilience market at Eton as a vital space for women to discuss disaster preparedness and share information.
“For Eton, this resilience market became their safe space. So, anything they’d like to talk about, any information for disaster preparedness, they did it all in this house,” Vano noted. During the COVID-19 pandemic, this market also served as a centre for health awareness, showing the versatility and importance of these community hubs.
The Chief of Eton expressed his gratitude for the visit and the support provided to the women of his village. “On behalf of these women, I want to say thank you very much for choosing this area to visit and see what’s happening. The women have been struggling for years,” he said.
The chief emphasised the important role of women in the community and thanked the parliamentarians for recognising their efforts.
Dora Wille, Mobiliser at East Efate, elaborated on the market’s significance. She described how the market building, designed and constructed by women using local materials, serves as a central point for the community.
“Women designed this building, women worked on this building, and women own this building. It is designed, made, and owned by women,” Wille said. She highlighted the women’s resilience in agriculture, handicrafts, and local fishing practices, showcasing their ability to sustain their community through various means.
“Our future aim is to upscale our sales market. The women here are very resilient. We’re very proud of them,” Wille added. She emphasised the importance of the three gardens they cultivate: one for income, one for food, and one for emergencies.
Senator Steph Hodgins-May praised the women for their leadership and resilience. “I am so encouraged by this beautiful leadership that you’re showing to support your communities and the children and the men,” she said. “And yes, thank you for opening up your village and your hearts to us to see and learn from your beautiful local agriculture today.” Ms Hodgins-May expressed her admiration for their organic and sustainable agricultural practices, noting how these efforts nurture and sustain the community.
The Australian parliamentarians will travel across Vanuatu over five days, visiting various development programs in both the capital city and remote islands, aiming to deepen their understanding of the impact of the climate crisis and strengthen their connection with this Pacific nation.
