Impact Spotlight

Installing battery-backed solar systems to power two remote, off-grid communities of 264 people

Powering community freezers for 42 fishing households, reducing catch spoilage and strengthening household incomes

Training local youth and women-led committees to operate and maintain solar systems, building a replicable model for solar-enabled livelihoods

About

Across Fiji’s Northern Division, remote coastal communities rely on small-scale fisheries for both food and household income. Lakeba, a coastal village in the Namuka district of Macuata Province, is one such community. Residents recently joined a community-led initiative to monitor and strengthen local fishing grounds after raising concerns about declining catches. But in off-grid communities, bringing fish ashore is only part of the challenge. Without reliable refrigeration, families may need to sell their catch quickly at lower prices, spend limited income on fuel and ice, or risk losing it to spoilage.

Foundation for Rural Integrated Enterprises and Development (FRIEND) is a homegrown Fijian nonprofit that has worked alongside rural, remote, and underserved communities since 2001. Its community-led approach connects sustainable livelihoods with food and nutrition security, health, disaster preparedness, environmental stewardship, and social empowerment. Rather than introducing stand-alone solutions, FRIEND builds on communities’ existing knowledge, resources, and priorities to strengthen local food systems and income-generating enterprises.

Women, youth, people with disabilities, single-parent households, and others often excluded from decision-making are intentionally included in this work, with an emphasis on building the skills and local leadership needed for communities to sustain projects themselves.

“For years, local fishing families have lost income; selling their catch cheaply or spending scarce earnings on fuel and ice to prevent it from spoiling. As fuel costs rise, that burden grows heavier. This solar system will change that story, giving women and youth the power to preserve their catch, earn what it is worth, and build livelihoods that are resilient to external shocks.”

— Viloki Gohil, Acting Chief Executive Officer

HF Partnership

Through this partnership, FRIEND will implement Solar Energy for Livelihoods in Lakeba and Caginivesau, two remote, off-grid fishing communities in Fiji’s Northern Division, home to 264 people. For 42 fishing households, limited access to refrigeration makes it harder to preserve catch, reach markets, and capture its full value, while dependence on ice, kerosene, and diesel adds significant costs.

FRIEND will install a battery-backed solar system at each community hall, powering a 508-liter commercial freezer and essential lighting. In Caginivesau, the project will also install a solar-powered water pump to improve access to water for hygienic fish handling and reduce the time women spend collecting water.

Local ownership is central to the project. Each village will establish a Community Energy and Cold Storage Committee, co-led by local women, while youth receive hands-on training in solar safety, operation, and preventative maintenance. Participating households will also contribute to a community-managed maintenance fund, helping sustain the systems beyond the initial installation.

Together, the systems will help reduce post-harvest losses, strengthen household incomes and food security, expand women’s leadership, and build technical skills among local youth—all while reducing dependence on fossil fuels. The project will demonstrate a locally governed model for using solar energy to strengthen fishing livelihoods that FRIEND can adapt with other remote communities across Fiji.