Islands of Resilience
USAID partners with island nation Kiribati to address the climate crisis
Pelenise Alofa stands on a glistening white sand beach and looks out over the clear, aquamarine sea. Gentle waves lap the shore, and palm trees sway softly in the warm breeze. The Pacific island nation of Kiribati is a tropical paradise thousands of miles from another landmass, but to Pelenise and her family, it is home — a home that is sinking.
With most of its 33 islands only a meter above sea level, Kiribati is on the front lines of the climate crisis, battling rising sea levels that have already submerged some atolls and forced the population to migrate to other countries.
Although her parents were originally from Kiribati, Pelenise was born and raised in Fiji. When she returned to Kiribati in 2006, she immediately started to feel the effects of climate change. During high tide, seawater seeped through the floor into her house.
“I was so afraid when I heard the sound of the waves when I was sleeping. Why were we so close to the shore? I felt so vulnerable, like the waves could just come and wash us away in our homes — but that is normal here,” she said.
Saltwater often leaks into wells, making groundwater unfit for drinking, and food doesn’t grow well because the salty soil is not fertile. Pelenise also noticed rows of coconut trees falling into the water.
“That showed that the land we have is eroding and getting smaller,” Pelenise remembered. “So many places have been washed away already.”
Pelenise decided to take action. In 2011, she started the Kiribati Climate Action Network, or KiriCAN, a network of NGOs dedicated to addressing the climate crisis. She also serves as the country director of Live & Learn Kiribati, an organization that promotes sustainable development through education and learning.
In partnership with USAID and other organizations, Pelenise and her team advocate and mobilize for climate change adaptation.
“The most vulnerable countries need help. Because climate change is our problem, we continue to advocate for action on climate change,” she said.
A Lasting Partnership
Growing up, Pelenise heard stories about World War II and the sacrifices of American soldiers. Her grandfather served as a medic, working alongside American soldiers to preserve freedom.
“More than 2,000 Americans sacrificed their lives on our shores so we can have liberty today,” she said.
“Now, Kiribati is in another war. It is a climate change war that we did not create. Just like in the 1940s, we need to fight this war together, so small island states like ours survive.” — Pelenise
In 2015, USAID partnered with KiriCAN and the Institute for Sustainable Futures to train facilitators and develop a handbook on finding and managing climate-resilient drinking water sources.
After the training, 98 percent of participants said they could identify and select viable water supply options. Participants also said that they improved their water management practices and shared their new knowledge and skills with their community.
This training and handbook has helped civil society organizations, policy makers, and NGOs across the country develop clean water sources resilient to saltwater intrusion and erosion.
USAID also partnered with Pelenise and her Live & Learn team to train more than 1,300 people to start keyhole gardens, which can better withstand the impacts of climate change. Keyhole gardens use less water than traditional gardens and use composting to enrich the soil.
Improving agricultural practices to adapt to increasing climate-related threats is a critical part of sustaining communities in remote islands, which rely on food delivered by ships every few months, the crops that they grow on at-risk land, and the fish they catch from their reefs.
USAID also provided the local agricultural nursery with a greenhouse, solar pump and irrigation system, and other supplies to help ensure food security amid the climate crisis.
By training communities in climate-resilient farm technologies and supplying them with the necessary tools, USAID helped ensure communities have access to healthy food during the COVID-19 pandemic and in the continuing fight against the climate crisis.
“The aim of these projects is for people to adapt so they can remain in Kiribati,” Pelenise said. “I can’t just get up and leave my island and go. I’m grateful to USAID for helping us be resilient so we can stay in our own country.”
Hope on the Horizon
As the sun sinks into the sea, the sky turns brilliant shades of orange, fuchsia, and purple. Pelenise smiles at the children playing on the shore, and her heart bursts with hope. Despite the challenges facing her country, Pelenise knows that a solution is within reach.
“A solution is not on a tree or in the ocean. The solution is with us: humans. If we work together, we can adapt, learn to be resilient, and stop the problem,” she said.
About the Author
Christina Butler is the Development Outreach and Communications Writer at USAID’s Mission in the Philippines, Pacific Islands, and Mongolia.
