Pacific Islanders working for their futures

Climate change and disasters continue to threaten peoples’ livelihoods and wellbeing in the Pacific Islands.

Jon Naupa, a Kava farmer in Vanuatu, tells the BBC’s Frey Lindsay how difficult it’s getting to break even at the moment. In response to the challenges, young Pacific Islanders are taking advantage of regional labour mobility schemes to make money and help their families. Australia's Pacific labour mobility schemes have seen tens of thousands of Pacific Islanders filling job shortages in Australia, particularly in the agriculture sector.

Telusa Tu'i'onetoa, a PhD candidate at Australian National University, explains how the schemes are supposed to work, and the impact the separation has on families. We’ll also hear from Fiona, a young mother of two working in South Australia. While the schemes offer the chance to earn money at a time when opportunities are limited at home, they are also areas with high risk of exploitation and abuse of vulnerable workers. Tukini Tavui, the CEO of the Pacific Islands Council of South Australia, tells Frey how they work to help protect workers, and what he’d like to see done to help workers break the cycle of wage dependency.

(Picture: Samoans picking fruit in Australia; Credit: Getty Images)