The U.S. government, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), has awarded US$1.5 million to Live and Learn Environmental Education (LLEE) to provide 11,000 children and 2,900 households with access to improved WASH systems in 135 communities, 90 schools, and 18 health center ins four Pacific Island Countries – Kiribati, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.

Through USAID’s five-year grant program, the Pacific American Fund, this grant will enable LLEE to improve WASH service delivery by promoting inclusive, contextually appropriate WASH systems designed to ensure marginalized communities and individuals are able to use their own skills and resources to provide safe water. LLEE will promote positive hygiene behavior change, support women’s inclusion in WASH system development, and develop plans to ensure target communities recover faster and remain safe from disasters, including COVID-19. 

“The U.S. government supports locally-designed initiatives, such as this, that will allow communities to design efficient, effective, and relevant water and sanitation systems,” U.S. Ambassador to Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Tonga, and Tuvalu Marie C. Damour said. “The U.S. government is committed to strengthening the ability of the Pacific Island’s most vulnerable communities to live healthy and secure lives free from illness and disease, gender-based violence, and disaster-related disruptions.”  

This grant will promote the active participation of women and underrepresented populations in the design and implementation of grant activities.     

“USAID has a long-standing commitment to empowering women and girls and supporting underserved and marginalized populations. These grants will improve the quality of life in vulnerable communities and improve access to services for people living in remote areas,” added Ambassador Damour.     

Launched in 2020, the Pacific American Fund awards grants on an open and competitive basis to qualifying local, national, and internationally operating civil society organizations, including private small-and-medium enterprises, non-governmental organizations and institutions, universities, and faith-based organizations.