Boore Moua and the Caritas Kiribati Youth Group

The Caritas Kiribati Youth Group is a group of young people who live on the island of South Tarawa, in the Kiribati islands.

They are passionate about helping their people increase their knowledge about climate change and sanitation and how they can improve their skills in agriculture.

Boore Moua (on the left) is an active leader and has been part of the group for over four years. He has empowered youth to become leaders in educating others on climate change.

James Teitiaki is another enthusiastic member of the youth group James Teitiaki is another enthusiastic member of the youth group. He has been part of the group for eight years. His family home is right next to the water. The land they live on is eroding as water levels rise.

Boore has seen many broken sea walls and documented the impacts of king tides. He has witnessed many trees dying as a result of the sea water pooling around trees in low lying places.

Boore and James are worried, like many who live on Kiribati, that with the rising sea levels and coastal erosion, their homes may be submerged under water in the future.

"I don't want to leave my country. I want to stay "I don't want to leave my country. I want to stay... I am connected to this land. My grandparents are buried here. For me this is my home."

In small groups they have travelled to some of the outer islands in Kiribati.

Traditionally it has not been easy for young people to speak in the Maneaba (meeting house). However, the youth have been welcomed to speak by elders and this has helped them grow in confidence as leaders.

The youth have encouraged communities to plant more mangroves on the coast to protect the land.

The young people know how to select the shoots from the older mangrove plants.

These shoots are then planted in groups of three near the high tide mark. Maintaining the mangroves is important so they will grow to protect the coastline and prevent flooding during king tides.

Some youth group members show how soil can be prepared using leaves and manure to assist vegetables to grow in previously very sandy ground.

Boore has talked to many people about how their wells are becoming salty and the water is unusable. The youth group have shared ways to protect fresh water - like removing nearby trees.

The Caritas Kiribati Youth Group has worked with a Ministry department during ‘Clean up Tarawa days’ to remove waste that has been left lying around.

In many parts of Kiribati there is no place for waste disposal and rubbish is left to contaminate both the land and the sea causing hygiene issues.

They recognise the importance of caring for their land and share this message with communities when they visit them.

Let’s be inspired the Caritas Kiribati Youth Group... ... and follow their example. Photo Credits: Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand