Project: Trauma- Informed and Resilient Communities

Timeframe: February 2023- January2025

Location: Macuata, Bua, Cakaudrove, Kadavu, Central Division, Western division 

Focus Area: Eliminating violence against women and girls and women leadership and decision making

Transcend Oceania is a Fiji-based non-governmental organisation that is committed to advancing sustainable peace and development through justice and non-violence in the Pacific. It was registered under the Fiji Charitable Trust Act in October 2014 and has offices in Suva and Labasa. Transcend Oceania firmly believes that the ultimate goal for change in peacebuilding is transcendence – the attainment of a higher self through transformation that influences individuals, relationships, cultures and structures. The organisation fulfills its mission through training and education, peace process facilitation and healing, justice and development initiatives, and research that builds on local knowledge systems, skills and approaches of Oceania and recognises other effective ways to building justpeace communities.

Project title: Trauma Inform Preparedness and Resilience Project
Project date: July 2020 –  June 2021
Grant Value: FJD 150,000

The increasing number and severity of natural disasters and humanitarian crisis in Fiji and the Pacific, combined at times with growing civil instability, contributes to community and domestic violence that is gradually increasing in Fiji and worsened during crises and disasters.   Women have silently suffered trauma brought on from the impacts of natural disasters, with climate impacts and environmental changes. When conflicts, natural disasters and humanitarian crises strike, communities are devastated and left vulnerable – having little access to life’s essentials, basic needs and services. While they must deal with the tragic loss of human life and property, they also face the uncertainty of seeing their livelihoods destroyed or severely affected.

There is high level of untreated trauma at all levels of communities that demonstrate the need for trauma informed interventions during times of disasters.   As a members of the peacebuilding network on preparedness and emergency response to Disaster Risk Reduction, Transcend Oceania helps mitigate and design appropriate approaches to support and resource leaders especially women and youths in disaster preparedness, mitigation, emergency to  implement disaster rehabilitation and resilience reconstruction programs that prioritices psycho services and Integrated Community Trauma Response and Healing.

Through the support of the Fiji Women’s Fund, Transcend Oceania will implement the Trauma Informed Preparedness and Resilience Project in the Northern Division to achieve these objectives:

> To equip women in the Northern Division with peacebuilding skills to deal with traumatic experiences.
> To build an awareness of trauma and an environment that promotes social wellbeing, comfort and safety for women and girls.
> To establish a group of trained women who can provide emergency response and help individuals and communities to overcome challenges together.
> To have stronger, more resilient individuals and communities.

Transcend Oceania will work with community leaders, church leaders, women leaders, youth leaders and relevant stakeholders to implement this project on Vanua Levu.