Under the Ministry of Environments Jobs for Nature Program, six Ba communities were awarded cash grants to help them protect their environment.
These communities were awarded $1000 cash to complete environmental rehabilitation work in their respective communities.
Dr Mahendra, Minister for Environment and Agriculture and Waterways, said that some industrial and poor-agricultural activities have contributed to the degradation of natural resources over the years and that environmental restoration was vital for future generations.
Minister Reddy reiterated that communities must take responsibility for protecting their resources. The Fijian government will continue to support them through their various programs, such as J-NR.
“This program empowers the community groups, community leaders, youth groups to mobilise themselves and their resources to rehabilitate the loss of biodiversity, build resilience amongst the stock of biological resources, restore nature, clean up nature and create awareness amongst the broader community about the need to protect their resources, he said.
Hansel Vatuinaruku (President of Koronubu Youth Club) in Ba thanked the Ministry of Environment.
“This program is very important as it links us back to biodiversity restoration and we are just deeply grateful that we are one of the recipients and have been given a chance to give something back to our environment,” he said.
Mr Vatuinaruku encouraged other youth groups to get involved in this effort to protect our resources.
