The current programme that the European Union funded in Vava'u is scheduled to complete at the end of April 2008. This programme is designated with the "Vava'u Social Sector Support Programme" (VSSSP) and it is coordinated by the Programme Management Unit (PMU) in Neiafu under the direct supervision of the National Authorising Officer, Hon Sonatane Tu'a Taumoepeau Tupou and the EEC Head of Delegation to the Pacific in Suva, HE Mr. Roberto Ridolfi.

The VSSSP is funded under the 9 European Development Fund and its Financing Agreement was approved in April 2004 to allocate 3 million Euro specifically for the development of Health and Education Sector in Vava'u and the programme was subsequently approved in 2007 with additional budget of 0.5 million Euro to increase its total budget to 3.5 million Euro. The agreed timeline from the European Union stated that the VSSSP should be completed no later than the end of 2010.

The overall objective of the programme is to reduce poverty by enhancing the quality of life in Vava'u, through improvements in the delivery of social services. The specific objective is to raise the standard of social services delivery in Vava'u by providing improved infrastructure, equipment and supplies and by ensuring that the life of these investments is maximised by adequate maintenance.

The programme allocated with more than 9 million pa'anga in exchange rate and according to the VSSSP Account confirms that the VSSSP has expended to date a total of TOP 7,457,729.71 pa'anga. The remaining 1.7 million pa'anga of the programme will be spending on the ongoing and new projects during the next 8 months of the programme.

The Education Component has fully upgraded Government Primary School (GPS) Lape, Taunga, Matamaka and Liviela, Vava'u High School include 2 New Staff Quarters and 5 Staff Quarters, New Vava'u Side School, Computers and Printers to several Primary Schools, 1 New Vehicle and 1 New Boat for the Vava'u Ministry of Education. The inputs on the Health Sector are included the complete renovation of Prince Ngu Hospital, Nurse Home, Rural Health Clinics at Ta'anea, Tefisi, Falevai and Hunga, new Office and Medical Equipment include 2 New Vehicles for the Hospital and Rural Health Clinics and building and renovating 20 Staff Quarters in the Hospital and the 4 Rural Health Centers. The Non-State Actors Component included the development to Chanel College (Catholic Church School), Mizpah School (Seventh Days Adventist Church), Tailulu College (Church of Tonga), Mailefihi and Siu'ilikutapu College (Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga), Vava'u Family Planning Clinic, Vava'u Youth Congress, Vava'u Red Cross, Vava'u National Churches of Council and several other Non-Government Organizations in Vava'u. The programme also anticipates a few assets management training this year to the project recipients in recognition the importance to ascertain maintenance regimes to assist maintaining the good quality of the assets from the VSSSP.

Following the 3 independent monitoring and evaluation missions that commissioned by the EU Head Office in Brussels during the period 2004 to 2007 and the programme internal impacts assessment have indicated the great positive impacts of the programme in enhancing education and health services in Vava'u and that reflects also the good and sound leadership and accountability of the Government of Tonga.

There are more than 15,000 people in Vava'u who are benefited directly from the previous EEC programme, including the Vava'u Social Sector Support Programme. The PMU wishes to convey its highest gratitude to the EEC Head Office in Suva and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the alliances from the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Works, Ministry of Finance, Civil Society Forum of Tonga and other Key Stakeholders for the great and tiredness efforts and commitments in assuring the sound implementation of the VSSSP to date. PMU, 28/08/07.