Christian World Service is celebrating a new climate resilience funding relationship between CWS, its partner the Tongan Community Development Trust and the New Zealand Government's Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Manaaki.

After Christian World Service adopted a climate resilience and Pacific regional focus for the Christmas Appeal in 2024, they were able to negotiate a new agreement with Manaaki – the NZ Ministry of Foreign Affairs that has led to a pledge from the Ministry to contribute four dollars for every donated dollar that CWS supporters can raise for the Tonga Community Development Trust.

Next to the Philippines, Tonga is recognised as the nation with the second highest risk of climate-related damage to land, housing and food systems, which makes Tonga's need for climate and disaster resilience planning among the highest on the planet. At the same time, Tongan communities need immediate funding to help put these essential systems in place, which will not only help communities survive extreme weather events, but also support their resilience to earthquakes, eruptions, and tsunami threats. 

The Tonga Community Development Trust know that building climate and disaster resilience is a long term, broad-based project, so their programmes upskill communities to enhance social cohesion and support networks, focusing first on the needs of the most vulnerable people. The training focuses on diversifying family incomes to build economic resilience and reduce reliance on 'at risk' income sources, reducing stigma around mental health issues and enabling communities to self-care in times of need, and amplifying women's voices in community resilience building.

Some of the key projects run by the CWS-supported Tonga Community Development Trust include workshops and training on:

• Sustainable agriculture
• Traditional sustainable handcrafts
• Financial literacy and business skills
• Women’s leadership and governance
• Disabled people's empowerment
• Mental health and psychological first aid

In total, the Tonga Community Development Trust's programmes are projected to need over NZ$500,000 to implement what their communities need to be stronger and more resilient over the coming years.

To make a climate resilience donation that goes five times as far, donate online to the Christian World Service Tonga Community Resilience Appeal

Christian World Service is the official ecumenical aid and development agency of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia alongside AWA, the Anglican aid and development arm of Anglican Missions.