Apia, Samoa – Fourteen new community projects have been announced under the Samoa CARES initiative, supported by the United Nations Development Programme’s Global Environmental Facility Small Grants Program (UNDP GEF-SGP), in partnership with the Australian High Commission and Samoa’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

The successful projects include solar light installation, restoration of freshwater pools, biogas projects, water management and sustainable fisheries and agriculture, empowering communities to build their resilience to climate change through environmental protection and sustainable livelihoods.

Grant awards ceremonies were held in Upolu and Savai’i on 1 and 7 April 2026, and incorporated first-of-their kind Samoa CARES Gender Equality, Disability, and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) Workshops, bringing together successful grantees to build their awareness of GEDSI and share ideas for ensuring all community members are empowered to participate in, and benefit from, their climate adaptation projects.

Samoa already protects social wellbeing through cultural foundations – as the saying goes, ‘O Samoa ua uma ona tofi’. GEDSI facilitator Ofusina Toamua drew upon this concept to emphasise the importance of applying locally led GEDSI principles - which are embedded in fa’asamoa - into community programming and dialogue. Grantees utilised practical tools for understanding the needs of all community members and developed action plans to support inclusion during project implementation.

Australian High Commissioner, H.E. Mr Will Robinson, acknowledged the importance of inclusive climate action:

“We know that climate change does not affect everyone equally. Women, people with disabilities, older persons and youth often experience its impacts first and most severely. These groups also have deep knowledge, skills and leadership that, when included from the beginning, make our communities safer and more innovative”

Reflecting on the collaborative efforts of the UNDP and Australian and Samoan governments, Deputy Resident Representative of the UNDP Multi Country Office for Cook Islands, Niue, Samoa and Tokelau, Paolo Dalla Stella, highlighted the importance of the financial grants for Samoa:

“I am pleased to note that these financial grants will play a vital role in delivering much-needed support to our most fragile and vulnerable communities, while also making an important contribution to strengthening the Samoan economy.”

The UNDP GEF Small Grants Program has had a strong impact over more than two decades in Samoa, providing financial support and technical assistance to local communities.