The Udu Point Women’s Initiative Group was established in 2016 and has 26 members from four women’s groups from the villages of Udurara, Vunikodi and Nabouono on Vanua Levu. The women, who are from minority ethnic groups (part-European, Rotuman and Tongan), gather monthly to share ideas and skills among themselves. The women have livelihoods projects such as bee-keeping and related value-added products such as candles, jewellery-making from trochus shells and weaving of Udu Point special mats known as kiluvatu. Their products are sold by at the Ministry of Women’s expo and also purchased by family members from urban centres in Viti Levu and Vanua Levu.

Project title: Empowering and Strengthening Udu Point Women to bring about positive changes in their households and communities
Project date: August 2020 – April 2021
Grant Value: FJD 10,000
Focus area: Improving livelihoods, build confidence and leadership capacity

About the project
Through this project, the Udu Point Women’s Initiative Group will strengthen their network to boost their livelihoods, build capacity and increase confidence.

Key activities:

1.  Strengthen the women’s network with members from Udurara, Nabouono and Vunikodo through weekly meetings to share ideas, discuss issues and support each other.

2.  Invest in realising the full potential of the bee-keeping project by buying proper resources such as suits, frames with wax sheets, wheel barrow, bottles, smoker, gumboots and gloves.

3. Peer-learning and exchange visit to Viti Levu for the women to learn and gain exposure.

4. Capacity building workshops on financial literacy, gender and social inclusion, and health and wellbeing awareness.

5. Access to health services and well-being

6. Building the women’s confidence to actively participate in meetings and leadership opportunities