Ovaka Island’s 72 residents will soon have a refurbished community hall which they’ll use for meetings, classes, and various events. Our field representative in Tonga reports that workers have already built an extension and painted the walls; next they’ll install a sink and plumbing for a kitchen, build a fence, and add tiling to the main hall. The whole project is expected to be completed by November.

We’re provided funds for the refurbishment in exchange for the islanders’ commitment to actively manage their 531-acre fish habitat reserve, where overfishing, the use of destructive fishing methods, and soil erosion from land disturbance have depleted their fish stock.

Full project info here.