Marou Village, Fiji

Marou Village is an iTaukei community on the southeast coast of Naviti Island in the Yasawa Group archipelago in the Western Ba Region of Fiji.

Two of the village’s greatest pressing needs are reliable electricity and year-round access to freshwater.

Better access to electricity in the village will help run water pumps, provide better lighting, refrigeration, energy storage, digital banking, telecommunications, device charging, and to power tools and equipment for small local businesses.

The village regularly floods during the multi-day rain events that are common during the rainy season. Water channels have been eroding the land in and around homes. And yet for half of the year during the dry season, freshwater can become dangerously scarce. New ideas for rainwater harvesting and storage are welcome, especially as rising seas threaten to contaminate underground wells with saltwater.

Other community needs include spaces for shade, agriculture/aquaculture, recreation, education, and shelter from severe storm events.

Learn more by downloading the Design Guidelines document on January 6, 2025.

Marou village is looking forward to being included as much as possible in the implementation process (post competition), from detailed design through installation and operations.