LocationsBreaking Ground: Tonga's Sole Female Civil Engineer
December 13, 2024
Victorina, who completed her undergraduate studies in 2017, has spent nearly a decade breaking ground in a male-dominated field.
In the Kingdom of Tonga, where traditional roles often define career paths, Victorina Palu Leger stands out as the country's sole female civil engineer. Her journey into engineering wasn't just a career choice—it was a family legacy, inspired by her father's work in civil construction and road works, and following in the footsteps of her brother, who also chose the civil engineering path.
Victorina, who completed her undergraduate studies in 2017, has spent nearly a decade breaking ground in a male-dominated field. But rather than pursuing conventional engineering projects, she has chosen to focus her expertise on humanitarian engineering, working on projects that directly impact communities' resilience and quality of life.
Her current role as a consultant for UNDP exemplifies this commitment. At the Government Middle School in Nuku'alofa, where 775 students and staff depend on reliable water access, Victorina has implemented an innovative water tank project that showcases her ability to think beyond standard engineering solutions.
"At first, I didn't know the whole concept of the project," Victorina recalls.
"I was just approached to help the situation. And when I came in, I kind of had to set up the whole system in place with the support of the UNDP."
Victorina was a central figure in risk-informing work undertaken via the Tonga Water Tank Initiative.
This humble beginning belied the innovative solutions she would soon develop.
Drawing from her experience leading housing resilience and recovery programs at the Ministry of Infrastructure, Victorina approached the school's water security challenge with a unique perspective. When she began her assessment, she found only five functional tanks of smaller capacity, with maintenance issues plaguing the existing system. Rather than simply installing new tanks, she developed a comprehensive solution that addressed multiple problems simultaneously.
Through careful consultation with the school community, she discovered that students faced flooding issues along their footpaths, particularly during rainy seasons when they waited for pickup. This insight led her to design a system that not only provided water storage but also solved the flooding problem—diverting rainwater from the school building's roof to the new tanks while implementing proper drainage beneath the footpaths.
The project's distinctiveness lies in its risk-informed approach. Victorina designed protective shelters for the water tanks to shield them from direct sunlight, preventing the common problem of tank shrinkage that typically occurs after 15 years of exposure. She incorporated cyclone tie downs and straps for roof trusses ensuring compliance with AS standards and Tonga Building code and ultimately to withstand Tonga's severe weather events.
Her attention to detail extended beyond technical specifications. Recognising the importance of sustainability and security, she included fencing around the tanks—a feature that proved unexpectedly significant.
"The fencing... I never thought would make that big of an impact, but they really said it's good to protect from any outsiders’ access to use the tap as well as human errors" she explains. This simple addition helped ensure the system's longevity by preventing unauthorised access and potential damage.
Victorina's project management approach was equally innovative. Rather than following suggestions to simply provide materials and oversee labour, she developed a more holistic process for engaging contractors. This included the design documentation, evaluation criteria and procedures for the formal recruitment of these contractors.
Perhaps most notably, Victorina has pioneered the integration of social considerations into engineering projects in Tonga. She implemented contractor training programs addressing gender-based violence and workplace harassment, particularly crucial given the school setting.
"It's not just specifically for adults—it involves exposure to children and women around the area," she explains.
Looking ahead, Victorina sees opportunities to expand this model across Tonga and potentially throughout the Pacific region. She's already planning improvements for the project's second phase, including additional occupational health and safety training and standardised designs that can be adapted to different schools' needs. Her careful consideration of maintenance requirements has led her to thoughtfully evaluate potential additions like more economical water filtration systems weighing the benefits against long-term sustainability.
Her work represents more than just an engineering solution—it's about creating sustainable, community-oriented infrastructure that considers both technical and social aspects of development.
As one of very few female engineers in Tonga, Victorina is not just building water systems; she's building a legacy that demonstrates the vital importance of diverse perspectives in engineering and development work.
Through her innovative approaches and dedication to community-centered solutions, Victorina Palu Leger is proving that engineering is not just about constructing infrastructure—it's about building resilience, fostering community engagement, and creating lasting positive change for future generations.