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Is Hardship Really a Problem in Vanuatu?
Male Farmer, 49 Years Old
“I was born here in Kweyegmagde village and have lived for most of my life here as a farmer. I attended primary school and finished in year 6. I am married with 6 children. It is not easy supporting a big family like mine in this village. We live quite far from our food gardens and coconut crops. We are confronted with food problems every day as we can only carry so much from our daily visits to our gardens.
The existence of hardship in Vanuatu is difficult for some to understand and accept. Communities have always taken care of all their members, sharing food and goods between the richer and poorer people. But this traditional system is strained by modernization, especially the growing need for cash, the shift away from subsistence farming, a growing population, and movement of people to towns. There has been considerable debate about the presence of poverty in Vanuatu and the increasing number of out-of-school youth, youth unemployment, and lack of access to training and job opportunities, especially on the remote islands. Hardship, however, is widely perceived to exist, primarily through lack of, or limited access to, basic services such as education, health, good roads, and safe drinking water. The personal stories in this booklet show the desperate situations some people face. Those who do not have jobs, skills, or any way to earn cash are suffering. Their dignity and pride are wounded, and some have turned to crime, prostitution, and drugs to survive. It is important to listen to their stories and strive to understand the nature of hardship in Vanuatu. Only then can effective strategies be developed to improve the lives of the poor and disadvantaged.
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