15 Mar 2018

Grant from ILO for Tonga Gita victims

5:35 pm on 15 March 2018

Nineteen farmers in the Tongan village of 'Utulau have received a $US10,000 grant from the International Labour Organization to help them recover from last month's Cyclone Gita.

Trees stripped by Gita, Tonga

Trees stripped by Gita, Tonga Photo: 350 Pacific

The grant agreement has been signed by the Ministry of Labour CEO, Edgar Cocker, for the first batch of the Community-Based Emergency Employment pilot programme.

Mr Cocker said the objective was to support those who had lost income and to improve food security.

The Nukunuku district officer Sione Kata said many people in 'Utulau earned money from selling produce.

Mr Kata said the financial assistance would help the growers to get back on their feet following the storm.

Get the RNZ app

for ad-free news and current affairs