Restoring Mangaliliu Village’s Clean Water

Post-Disaster Reconstruction & Safe Drinking Water Infrastructure

Project Completion Report: Rebuilding Safe Drinking Water Infrastructure

Prepared By: Melanesian Women Today (MWT) Vanuatu Chapter
Prepared For: The Community of Mangaliliu, Partners, and Supporters of Pacific Peoples’ Partnership (PPP)
Focus Area: Emergency Disaster Recovery, Infrastructure Reconstruction, & Community Empowerment
Reporting Date: May 2026

Executive Summary

On December 17, 2024, a devastating 7.3 magnitude earthquake struck near Port Vila, Vanuatu. Among the hardest-hit areas was the rural community of Mangaliliu Village on Efate Island. The disaster left the village with heavily damaged water sources, cracked infrastructure, deep community trauma, and the tragic loss of eight community members.

With the village's primary water tank destroyed beyond repair, 415+ residents across 81 households faced an immediate, critical water security crisis. In response, Pacific Peoples' Partnership (PPP) reached out to their trusted partners on the ground, the Melanesian Women Today (MWT) Vanuatu Chapter, to spearhead the recovery. Stepping into this vital role, MWT utilized its deep local networks to partner with Rotomould Vanuatu Limited and the local community to launch an immediate, community-led reconstruction initiative.

Utilizing a $2,500 CAD emergency grant funded by PPP, our MWT country team successfully managed the procurement, logistics, and physical installation of an upgraded 10,000-liter water storage system. This project culminated in a celebratory formal community handover on April 25, 2026, successfully restoring immediate water security and dignity to the people of Mangaliliu.

1. Disaster Impact & Reconstruction Assessment

The earthquake completely compromised Mangaliliu’s domestic water storage network. Our rapid field assessments identified that replacing the ruined 6,000-liter tank with an upgraded, higher-capacity system was the most critical step to prevent water-borne illnesses and restore daily household activities.

Metric Post-Earthquake Reconstruction Data

Emergency Project Budget $2,500 CAD (Funded by PPP)

Reconstruction Impact Successfully restored water access to 415+ residents (81 households)

Infrastructure Rebuilt Removed ruined 6,000L tank; installed a new 10,000L heavy-duty tank

Direct Reconstruction Cost $6.02 CAD per villager to restore immediate, safe storage

By keeping execution localized and utilizing community volunteers, MWT ensured that 100% of the project funds were deployed directly to the disaster-impacted site, bypassing administrative delays.

2. Partnership Collaboration: Our Roles

This vital recovery intervention succeeded due to a highly coordinated, transparent partnership built on local trust and networks:

Pacific Peoples’ Partnership (PPP) (Financial Partner): Initiated the response by reaching out to their trusted on-the-ground partner, MWT, and providing the critical financial foundation with a $2,500 CAD grant. Their rapid funding mechanism allowed us to secure resources and respond to the crisis without bureaucratic delays.
Melanesian Women Today (MWT) Vanuatu Chapter (Project Lead & Operations): We served as the boots on the ground. Acted as the primary partner contacted by PPP, took on the coordination role, and used our local networks to engage and partner with Rotomould Vanuatu Limited. Led by Country Coordinator Steph Pflugfelder, Treasurer Fiona Mahit, and Secretary Eddy Satungia, we facilitated direct village consultations, coordinated complex transport logistics, managed the project's finances, and oversaw the physical installation of the tank alongside community volunteers.
Rotomould Vanuatu Limited (Supply Partner): Brought into this project directly through MWT’s local networks. They stepped up to support the community recovery by providing a substantial corporate discount on the high-quality 10,000-liter tank and coordinating its heavy transport over rugged, earthquake-damaged roads directly to the village.

3. Voices of Hope: Project Testimonies

The true success of this reconstruction project is reflected in the voices of our community leaders and coordinators on the ground.

A Message of Gratitude from Mangaliliu Village

"Firstly, I would like to sincerely express my gratitude and heartfelt thanks to all of you for the commitment, time, money, and challenges that you went through to bless my community with this water tank that reaches 81 households, and 415-plus people, including women, men, the elderly, and people living with a disability.

The men from our village connected the tank last week, replacing the old 6,000-liter tank, and still the water flows over! The chief and people of Mangaliliu wish to say a huge thank you for the beautiful heart that blessed the livelihood of our community. Thank you tumas." — Mr. Max Zacharie Kalo, Village Representative & Chief

Reflection on Our Values and Mission

"In Vanuatu, our culture is grounded in values of respect, generosity, and the instinct to extend a helping hand to those in need. Our team's work on this project highlighted those values, bringing together community members to deliver this critical resource to Mangaliliu. During our visit and delivery, the community described the challenges they faced without the tank and having one less access point to water. When we consider the future and development of our country, we can't neglect the importance of access to basic resources in helping communities thrive." — Steph Pflugfelder, MWT Vanuatu Country Coordinator

4. The Path to Recovery: Rebuilding Timeline

Our team structured the reconstruction of Mangaliliu's safe water storage system into deliberate phases to ensure community ownership and structural safety:

[Dec 2024: Earthquake] ➔ [Dec 2024: Damage Assessment] ➔ [March 2026: Site Prep & Rebuilding] ➔ [April 25, 2026: System Handover]

Immediate Post-Disaster Assessment (Dec 2024): MWT field teams mobilized directly after the earthquake to assess damaged infrastructure and consult with the village's active WASH and Climate Committees.
Procurement & Logistics (2025): The MWT executive team managed the financial administration of the PPP grant, leveraging local connections to secure the replacement tank from Rotomould Vanuatu and coordinating logistical delivery.
On-Site Rebuilding & Installation (March/April 2026): Local village men and volunteers cleared the debris of the old 6,000-liter system, prepared a secure foundation, and successfully connected the new, upgraded 10,000-liter storage unit.
Formal Handover & Flow Restoration (April 25, 2026): The community gathered to celebrate the official handover of the fully operational water tank, bringing an end to months of severe water scarcity.

Financial Transparency & Trust

Our lean financial model ensured maximum funding reached the ground:

68% ($1,700) — Water Tank Procurement (Direct material cost with corporate discount)
16% ($400) — Field Monitoring & Reconstruction Documentation
14% ($350) — On-site Coordination and Community Management
2% ($50) — Heavy Logistics and Rugged Road Transport to the Site

5. Next Steps: Rebuilding the Future

While successfully replacing the old tank with a 10,000-liter storage unit is an incredible recovery milestone, our work in Mangaliliu is moving into its next vital phase:

Phase 2 - Filtration Integration: Now that water is reliably flowing, our team is actively finalizing the procurement and installation of community-level water filtration systems to guarantee the highest drinking safety standards.

Conclusion: Rebuilding with Respect

To honor this collaborative effort, the community’s Chief and Mr. Max Zacharie Kalo presented MWT and PPP with a traditional hand-woven mat. In the Vanuatu culture, these mats symbolize respect, deep relationships, and community—a sacred place to gather, connect, and build a resilient future together.

At Melanesian Women Today, we look forward to continuing to build connections and partnerships that help bring more vital projects like this to fruition across our country.

Report compiled on the ground in Efate, Vanuatu, by the MWT Vanuatu Field Team.