Just a few weeks ago we heard from Willie Sau Kaitu’u a landowner and friend on Rennell that the loggers had arrived and were trying to persuade the people there to let them take 80% of the tress for export to Malaysia. What a disaster!  The forest provides so much for the people and without it the land will degrade, they will lose shelter from frequent hurricanes and the soil erosion will ruin the Reef. The company was paying the villagers “advance compensation” Call that bribes!

One of the major problems that the community faces is that the unemployment rate is >95% so no one can earn enough for paying School fees. This makes logging very tempting. To address this issue we have developed our Moana Arts program through which the craftspeople can sell their products easily and for double the usual price as we sell on their behalf in developed countries. To support our Moana Arts program and help us ensure the people of Rennell do not need to log the forest you can donate here. More information about this issue is available on Facebook.