Sandwatch Most Significant Change Stories: 2017 Kiribati
Submitted by Titeem Auatabu, Mineral Division, Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources
Sandwatch and the Community in Kiribati
Sandwatch in Kiribati usually works with Junior Secondary and Senior Secondary Schools for the purpose of long term awareness for these generations to grow up understanding the importance of beaches. Starting this year, 2017, Sandwatch has broadened its engagement scope and is now working with local communities for their immediate actions and behavioural change toward their beaches. One intention of focusing on the community is for their support in cleaning and looking after their beach to support the program currently undertaken by Betio Town Council (BTC), which is changing Betio, and is also known as “Betio Transformation”.
Further to this, another important reason is to show the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources Development’s (MFMRD) full support for the idea of a clean ocean. We cannot have a clean ocean unless we have a clean beach and this is why it is very important to start engaging communities with Sandwatch at this early stage. The Sandwatch program has greatly assisted the Mineral Division (of MFMRD) in addressing the impacts of human activities to beach erosion, which is now the main problem in South Tarawa. It is designed and customized to raise awareness to communities and schools for the significant role of beaches to them and how their actions are interconnected with this ecosystem.
One community in Betio called “Rerein te waa” is now engaged with Sandwatch and they have started cleaning up their beach. This community was established after the first Sandwatch consultation made in April this year. They admitted their beach is not clean and they need a change. They also reported that their beach has also become a dumping area for cars and people passing by. One elder requested for signboards with “No dumping here” to be put up at their place so that they can start cleaning up their beach. They also requested if the Betio Town Council can set a frequent time to come and collect their rubbish. They are willing to take on Sandwatch activities so they can have a clean beach and have already rolled out their first cleaning-up and their youth will work on simple ways of beach monitoring.
The Mineral Division at the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources Development will guide them in this work. The Mineral Division is now in the process of visiting more communities in Betio and in South Tarawa
Sandwatch and the Community in Kiribati
Sandwatch in Kiribati usually works with Junior Secondary and Senior Secondary Schools for the purpose of long term awareness for these generations to grow up understanding the importance of beaches. Starting this year, 2017, Sandwatch has broadened its engagement scope and is now working with local communities for their immediate actions and behavioural change toward their beaches. One intention of focusing on the community is for their support in cleaning and looking after their beach to support the program currently undertaken by Betio Town Council (BTC), which is changing Betio, and is also known as “Betio Transformation”.
Further to this, another important reason is to show the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources Development’s (MFMRD) full support for the idea of a clean ocean. We cannot have a clean ocean unless we have a clean beach and this is why it is very important to start engaging communities with Sandwatch at this early stage. The Sandwatch program has greatly assisted the Mineral Division (of MFMRD) in addressing the impacts of human activities to beach erosion, which is now the main problem in South Tarawa. It is designed and customized to raise awareness to communities and schools for the significant role of beaches to them and how their actions are interconnected with this ecosystem.
One community in Betio called “Rerein te waa” is now engaged with Sandwatch and they have started cleaning up their beach. This community was established after the first Sandwatch consultation made in April this year. They admitted their beach is not clean and they need a change. They also reported that their beach has also become a dumping area for cars and people passing by. One elder requested for signboards with “No dumping here” to be put up at their place so that they can start cleaning up their beach. They also requested if the Betio Town Council can set a frequent time to come and collect their rubbish. They are willing to take on Sandwatch activities so they can have a clean beach and have already rolled out their first cleaning-up and their youth will work on simple ways of beach monitoring.
The Mineral Division at the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources Development will guide them in this work. The Mineral Division is now in the process of visiting more communities in Betio and in South Tarawa