FIJI, Dakuniba Village, Vanua Levu Island - November 2003
Construction of a community center in exchange for the establishment of a forest and marine reserve
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The 175 residents of isolated Dakuniba Village have no health services, and communication with the outside world is limited to radiotelephone service, which is available only two hours per day. Dakuniba Village has agreed to preserve 763 acres of pristine rainforest for a minimum of 20 years, and establish a 24,711-acre marine no-take reserve for a minimum of ten years. In exchange for this sacrifice, Seacology will construct a much-needed community center. This project was funded in part by the Stephen Erdmann Memorial Fund.
UPDATE July 2004 - The first lot of building materials was delivered to the site to start the laying of the foundation. Seacology's 2004 expedition to Fiji visited Dakuniba to help celebrate the laying of the foundation.
UPDATE July 2005 - The center was completed in spring 2005. Seacology's 2005 Fiji expedition visited to celebrate the opening of the community center.
