The waters of the Mamanucas and Malolo Region lie within fishing or qoliqoli boundaries owned by the districts of Malolo of the Nadroga Province and Vuda District of the Province of Ba. Awareness by villagers and local communities in the region and belonging to either province, as well as their provincial government offices of the aims and objectives of MES play an important part in setting the works carried out by the Society. Local communities play an important role in the decisions taken by the Society in relation to the programmes it undertakes within the region.
The villages of Tavua, Yanuya, Solevu and Yaro are all part of the Malolo District, whereas the Viseisei village belongs to the Vuda District. Village awareness is carried out in these villages in the form of participation in informal or formal gatherings upon the invitation of the village headman or tribal chief, or through the invitation of the Provincial Office designated Roko Veivuke or Roko Tui. MES also organises day workshops with local communities on important topics relating to the environment and general hygiene in collaboration with other government departments such as the Health, Fisheries, and Environment Department and supporting NGOs such as the Partners in Community Development Fiji (PCDF) and the Fiji Locally Managed Marine Areas (FLMMA)Network.
Tikina Affiliation/Support
Support for the Society is a key factor that assists in consolidating the benefits accrued through the Society’s various projects and undertakings.
The MES and its works are supported by the Districts of:
- Malolo and
- Vuda
MES is usually invited to also attend Tikina council meetings and village meetings. Informal meetings and discussions are also attended by MES to assist in day-to-day issues relating to environmental awareness. Partnerships with the local communities, chiefs and Tikina council’s are of utmost importance for the MES. Collaboration in learning, sharing information and transparency with other bodies such as government, international and national NGO’s and other tourism operators within the Mamanucas and Fiji is also a primary objhective for the MES.
