Dely wants to save the traditions of Vanuatu

Thirty-four-year-old Dely Roy Nalo is a Ni-Vanuatu visual artist and cultural field worker who is passionate about promoting and safeguarding the cultural heritage of Northern Vanuatu. Dely lives in Luganville on Espiritu Santo Island with her family and speaks fluent French, English and Bislama, in addition to her father’s vernacular language, Mwerlap. “My idea is that if each culture can understand or at the very least acknowledge each other, a platform can be set for mutual respect” she told … Continue reading Dely wants to save the traditions of Vanuatu

She created a line of women products for rural communities in Vanuatu

Mary is the coordinator and a founding member of Mamma’s Laef, a social enterprise run by six ni-Vanuatu women in Port Vila. Mamma’s Laef sew washable sanitary pads that they distribute to communities across Vanuatu, where women often do not have access to menstrual hygiene management products, instead using old cloth or other unreliable and unhygienic substitutes and missing days of work and school as … Continue reading She created a line of women products for rural communities in Vanuatu

A businesswoman in Vanuatu

Ni-Vanuatu businesswoman Rosemary Leona is living proof that Pacific women can stake a claim in the region’s male-dominated business scene. The fifty-four-year-old native of Pentecost Island has made a name for herself in two of Vanuatu’s key industries: tourism and kava. She is the proud owner of the recently launched Vila Rose Hotel in the heart of Port Vila. Rosemary has also run a successful … Continue reading A businesswoman in Vanuatu

Costa Rica wants to ban single-use plastics by 2021

Costa Rica is the second country to announce the adoption of a plastics ban, following Vanuatu, two weeks ago. Costa Rica also announces a deadline, 2021, and its ban will be specifically against single-use plastics. After all, this small central american country is already an environmental leader, having managed multiple 100% renewable energy periods these past years. Moreover, Costa Rica has also set the challenge … Continue reading Costa Rica wants to ban single-use plastics by 2021

Vanuatu will become the first country in the world to ban plastic bottles

The Prime Minister of Vanuatu, Charlot Salwai Tabimasmas, announced last Sunday that his country will introduce a progressive ban to all plastic bags and bottles that cannot be reused. The government stresses in the Vanuatu Daily Post that disposal of plastic waste has become a huge problem for the small insular nation, that “bottles and plastic bags are risky to human life and the environment” and that … Continue reading Vanuatu will become the first country in the world to ban plastic bottles

How Joyce Napuat wins at life with only one leg

Joyce Napuat knows first hand what it’s like to live with a disability. Born with one leg on the island of Tanna, she’s had to overcome many challenges throughout her life. Growing up, Joyce had to walk on crutches over long distances of rugged terrain simply to get to school. But despite coming from an extremely marginalized background, she pursued her education with the support … Continue reading How Joyce Napuat wins at life with only one leg

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The push by Vanuatu to legalize kava root worlwide

For Pacificans, the idea that kava could be considered a drug or a toxic plant is strange, but it is still the case in many parts of the world. Kava is cultivated all over our ocean to produce a traditional bitter drink from its roots. When prepared correctly, drinking kava creates a mellowing effect and a wellness feeling without affecting cognitive functions. It has an … Continue reading The push by Vanuatu to legalize kava root worlwide

Island Chocolate Pudding with Monkey Banana and Mango

Organic cuisine is changing farming in the Pacific

When you  look for a South Pacific cook, you’ll often find that the best known is Robert Oliver. He is a prized cook, a food writer with a bestseller to his name (Me’a Kai: The Food and Flavours of the South Pacific) and a TV presenter from New Zealand. His TV show is Real Pasifik, whose mission is to “be the hub for authentic South Pacific food … Continue reading Organic cuisine is changing farming in the Pacific