Accessing clean and safe water is no longer a daily struggle for seven families in Tunalia Settlement, Nadi, following the commissioning of a new borehole water project by Assistant Minister for Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management, Jovesa Vocea.
For over four decades, the community relied on shallow wells and rainwater harvesting tanks, which were often unreliable and unsafe, especially during dry spells.
Funded through the Ministry’s Self-Help Programme at a cost of over $23,000, the new borehole now provides clean, consistent water directly to more than 40 residents.
Tunalia resident, Azreen Nisha Khan says the project ends years of hardship for families like hers, who previously had to carry heavy buckets uphill daily.
The mother of two says this is something they have waited for their entire lives, and now they can access clean water at their doorstep.
Tunalia Water Committee President Babu Khan says the project has already made a big difference, especially for children, who no longer have to miss school or spend hours fetching water.
Khan says the risk of waterborne diseases has also reduced.
Assistant Minister Vocea says the initiative is more than just infrastructure—it’s an investment in dignity, health, and opportunity.
Vocea says water is life, and access to it is a basic human right.
He urged the community to take ownership of the project and ensure its sustainability.
