The Habitat for Humanity New Zealand’s C.E.O. Alan Thorp is in Samoa as part of a monitoring visit of the Samoa Negotiated Partnership Programme.

Mr. Thorp is accompanied by the National Communications Manager, Val Hayes and the Technical Manager Tōfā Tu’u’u Maeata’anoa Luamanu, according to a media brief distributed by the not-for-profit organisation. 

The Samoa Negotiated Partnership Programme (N.P.) is being implemented by Habitat’s in-country partner, ADRA Samoa.

The 5-year NP was officially launched in December 2021, and is a continuation of the “Maluapapa” project previously funded under the Partnerships for International Development. 

Through a participatory approach to capacity building, the N.P. supports communities to increase awareness of shelter-related risks and hazards, and guides a community planning process to build on existing strengths, increase stability and promote self-reliance through the establishment of a safe shelter solution which benefits the whole community.

Habitat’s long-standing partnership with ADRA has helped 30 villages in Upolu, Savai'i and Manono to build safe shelters, improving communities’ capacity to respond in times of need and strengthening resilience during disasters. 

Habitat and ADRA have been working together since 2009 in the post-tsunami recovery response, building a strong affiliation and enduring partnership.

This short visit coincides with the dedication of three new community evacuation shelters, built with total seed funding of WST$147,000 from the NP. 

After completing two weeks’ training in Participatory Approach to Safe Shelter Awareness (PASSA) and Build Back Safer (BBS), the villages of Fa’atoilemanu/Vaimauga district and Salamumu in Upolu, and Aopo in Savai’i celebrated the completion of their safe shelter projects. 

Two new school halls which will serve as evacuation centres for Fa’atoialemanu (Vaimauga College) and Aopo (Aopo Primary) were dedicated on Monday and Tuesday this week. Salamumu’s newly built evacuation shelter was dedicated on Wednesday.

The Negotiated Partnership Programme (NP) is funded by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT). This new funding programme are co-investment arrangements between MFAT and long-standing NZNGO partners through which MFAT seeks to increase its shared development impact. The NP Project covering Samoa, Fiji and Tonga is NZD$9.1M which includes NZD$1.8M co-investment by HFHNZ.

They are multi-year, multi-country and multi-sector arrangements, which are agreed with those (generally larger) NZNGOs with relevant expertise, established relationships, resources and the capability to manage an outcomes-focused programmatic approach to delivering development cooperation.

Compared to previous MFAT funding mechanisms, the NP puts a strong emphasis on developing local capacity and capability of partner NGOs and staff. The approach promotes localization, and implementing specific capacity building plans where this is needed, to grow and strengthen Pacific NGOs.

As funding is longer term (5 years) than previous MFAT funding, there is greater surety of funding for local NGOs and staff. There is also a flexible approach of ‘adaptive management’, so that local contexts can be taken into account and the work adapted as necessary.