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Priorities of the People: Hardship in Tonga

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Introduction

Hardship and poverty have traditionally not been important issues in Tonga, but they are now becoming daily concerns for many. This is due mainly to the increasing need for cash, emigration from the outer islands to urban areas and overseas, and crowded conditions in some urban areas, especially the squatter settlements. External influences are changing people’s attitudes and aspirations, straining the traditional Tongan social system in which everyone’s needs are met by the community as a whole.

A widower who takes care of his mentally handicapped son

Based on an analysis of the 2001 Household Income and Expenditure Survey, about 23% of households were estimated to be living below the basic needs poverty line of T$28.18 per person per week. These households would likely be experiencing some degree of financial hardship, although it doesn’t necessarily mean they did not have enough to eat. It means, rather, that they didn’t have enough income for a basic diet plus the costs of other essential items. Such families had to make difficult daily choices, such as between buying food or paying school fees.

To better understand the nature of hardship and poverty in Tonga, the government undertook a Participatory Assessment of Hardship in 2003 with assistance from the Asian Development Bank. The assessment identified the needs and priorities of people living in communities throughout the country with different levels of access to services such as education, health, markets, transportation, water, and sanitation.

Sixteen communities were selected for the surveys and interviews, including three urban and two rural communities on the main island of Tongatapu, and 11 communities from the four outer island groups (‘Eua, Ha’apai, Vava’u, and the Niuas). The assessment team consulted village and church leaders, elders, women, youth, and community members who were perceived to be suffering most from hardship. A national workshop was held to present the findings of the assessment and discuss strategies and recommendations for addressing the perceived needs of the people.

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