A ground-breaking ceremony for the construction of a new community multi-purpose hall for the village of Haveluliku in eastern Tongatapu was officiated by the Prime Minister and the Minister of Internal Affairs, Hon. ‘Akilisi Pohiva on 31 May.

Vili Mahe Lutua, the Town Officer of Haveluliku said that the new multi-purpose hall is jointly funded by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which has donated $40,000; the International Fund for Agricultural Development IFAD through the Mainstreaming of Rural Development Innovation MORDI Tonga Trust, and the Haveluliku community. It replaces a Community Hall that was built in 1987, and it will be more than just a community hall.

“It will also be a shelter in case of an earthquake or a hurricane,” said Sione Taumoha’apai Taufa, the district officer for the Tatakamotonga District, which includes Haveluliku.

A surge in the development of community projects in Haveluliku began in 2014 happened when they started working with the MORDI Tonga Trust.

Vili Mahe Lutua said that between 2014 and 2015 there were workshops and meeting, and Haveluliku "topped the class" of seven villages, “for attending most workshops and meetings.”

“What we learned from those meetings and workshops enabled us to draft a development plan for Haveluliku.”

Haveluliku also linked up with a government project, the Tonga rural Innovation Project TRIP.

TRIP supports the implementation of community development plans, and providing grants for community infrastructure rehabilitation, construction and maintenance.

Following the MORDI Tonga Trust meetings and workshops the community decided on two community projects, a nursery and pig sties. “From the nursery, people could get seedlings to grow traditional medicinal plants, sandalwoods and plants to weave mats.

“We built 32 pig sties (28 households in Haveluliku). The pig sties keep the village tidy and their food gardens undisturbed,” explained Vili.

He said that a new project following the completion of the multi purpose community hall is to plant breadfruits. The Japanese Embassy has introduced a breadfruit project and they already have breadfruit seedlings in the nursery.

The other two community projects in the pipe-line include a tractor and to improve their water supply. Vili said that at present their water supply is running well, “24-hours.”