Women-Centred Initiatives Building Resilience in the North Pacific

In the vast, forested Kitti Municipality, the industrious Oaloapoal community is diligently learning the art of sewing. Ten women of various ages, many of them mothers, are preparing to start businesses selling traditional Pohnpeian skirts, a hot commodity in Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), worn by young and old alike.

Previously unemployed and heavily reliant on financial support from family members, often diaspora residing in Guam or other parts of the United States, these women are eager to start earning an income of their own and establish themselves as small business owners in Kitti. In the village, the Oaloapoal River runs down from the towering Nahna Mountain, cutting through plots of land and flowing under bridges before it rests in the Pacific Ocean. Its life-giving streams sustain the Oaloapoal community, providing fresh water to residents as well as to the lush vegetation that surrounds it. When the rains are heavy, however, the river turns hostile, quick to flood the nearby homes and roads, cutting off the community from the rest of Pohnpei island.

Every several years, typhoons too, wreak havoc in Oaloapoal as in other parts of FSM, destroying houses, crops, facilities and more.

KOHWA is the name of the local non-profit organization supporting the women of Oaloapoal. The acronym KOHWA is short for Koupweliki OH Wauneki Atail-sohso in Pohnpeian and translates into “respecting and taking pride in your heritage.” True to its name, KOHWA is close to the community, understanding their vulnerabilities and building on the capacities of an already resilient community to thrive.

Supported by a grant from the IOM Development Fund project, ‘’Strengthening NGOs to Promote Climate Change Adaptation and Displacement Prevention Measures across Micronesia’, KOHWA aims not only to equip women with the tools needed to begin start-up businesses sewing and selling traditional skirts but also to bolster their resilience against the impacts of climate change.

Over the span of eight months, KOHWA provided free sewing lessons to a group of ten women from the Oaloapoal community, along with financial literacy skills and a supply of sewing materials such as machines, tables and fabric, to kickstart their ventures. Lorleen, a 54-year-old mother and one of the participants, previously ran a modest sewing business, crafting and selling Pohnpeian attire to her fellow community members. “I have acquired invaluable skills,” she shares. “I can even maintain my own machine now.” With an additional sewing machine provided by KOHWA at her disposal, Lorleen expanded her business, fulfilling large orders from community members and local shops.

Beyond expanding her business, Lorleen played a pivotal role in mentoring new sewers, incorporating sustainable practices by utilizing recycled materials in traditional Pohnpeian skirt-making. Thanks to the KOHWA-IOM partnership, seven out of the ten women enrolled in the program are now proficient in sewing and are generating an income.

As the women advanced their sewing skills, KOHWA also geared the group towards sustainable actions that can be taken to safeguard their community from the impacts of climate change. Near homes prone to flooding, they planted guava and lemon trees to mitigate the risks of flooding and erosion in the neighborhood. Betelnut and coconut trees were also planted, given their long and fibrous root systems and ability to protect against soil erosion.

The project has not only led to the economic empowerment of women by creating income-generating ventures but has had a cascading effect on women’s capacity to reinvest in strategies that strengthen their resilience to climate change and mitigate its risks through initiatives like tree planting. Since its onset, the project has supported eight NGOs and CSOs across Micronesia providing training and mentorship on topics such as gender-sensitive project management and climate change adaptation strategies to effectively implement their programs.

Adapting to climate change effects requires resources and stability, be it financial or social.

Whether community members choose to stay and adapt to changes brought about by hazardous events, such as reinforcing homes, building places of refuge, or installing deterrents to flooding like the Oaloapal community, or prefer to relocate to safer places of residence, the decision must prioritize the capacity for climate action.

Emeliana Musrasrik-Carl, Director of Court Administration at FSM Supreme Court and Head of Pohnpei Women’s Council also highlighted the vulnerabilities women face in disaster situations. “We recognize the invaluable role of women in fostering climate resilience. Initiatives like these, empowering women entrepreneurs while addressing climate challenges, not only strengthens our communities but also aligns with our commitment to sustainable development and gender equality in FSM,” she said.

During the Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States held in September 2014, the United Nations Member States formally adopted the Small Island Developing States Accelerated Modalities of Action (SAMOA Pathway), which recognized the need to support and invest in Small Island Developing States to promote their sustainable development.

In line with the SAMOA Pathway as well as IOM’s strategic pillar to drive solutions to displacement, this initiative empowers Civil Society Organizations and NGOs promoting climate change adaptation and displacement prevention measures across the FSM, Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) and Kiribati.

This story is part of the IOM Development Fund Newsletter. Discover more about their Newsletter here.