After nearly five years of living in tents, the villagers of Nabavatu are set to move into their new homes as construction under the Nabavatu Relocation Project nears completion.
Nabavatu Village Headman Moriti Waqawaqa says discussions are now focused on preparations for the move into the new homes.
He says favourable weather conditions have helped accelerate construction, and the villagers are grateful for the progress being made.
Waqawaqa says the houses have been built to a high standard, inspiring residents to improve their quality of life and maintain those standards in their daily living.
He adds that their long-held dream is about to become a reality and acknowledges the government, development partners and supporting agencies for helping make the relocation possible.
In 2024, Cabinet approved the relocation of Nabavatu Village.
The relocation site covers 16.88 hectares, or 41.71 acres, and is located about 800 metres southwest of the current village site.
The total cost of the relocation project is approximately $5.9 million.