Christmas has come early for seven families in Narikoso, Ono in Kadavu as they received the keys to their new homes.

The families are the first batch to relocate to a site following the effects of climate change in their coastal village.

While commissioning the new homes, Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama says we can celebrate the new Narikoso, in which all residents are safe from the rising Pacific Ocean.

Narikoso is one of 48 Fijian villages that must be relocated fully or in part and Bainimarama says each one has a different story and faces its own unique challenges.

He says a relocation project can be an opportunity to develop sustainable, community-based projects in rural areas.

“It’s a holistic and integrated approach to unemployment and economic development that supports the energies and initiative of the people, and it is done with the support of the private sector and civil society”.

Bainimarama says it has taken four years to complete this project, and in those four years Narikoso has endured Tropical Cyclone Winston, Tropical Cyclone Harold and they had to stop work for a time because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 1.2million dollar project includes 7 houses that are Category 4 storm resilient.

The project is co-funded by the government, the European Union and GIZ.

Last one⬇️ for PM’s Kadavu tour?

➡️A fully-funded #EU relocation project for Narikoso Village-commissioned today by @FijiPM– has seen 7 most vulnerable houses successfully relocated to the new village site. Narikoso becomes the 7th village in Fiji to have been relocated -(1/3) pic.twitter.com/iFtjyFjLmV

— Office of the Prime Minister (@fiji_opm) November 19, 2020