There are six projects in Fiji and one in Papua New Guinea. The reason for this is Catherine's attachment to Fiji.
She lived there for several years including one year in Viseisi Village near Nadi on the main island Vitu Levu.
Catherine has probably made 30 trips to Fiji over an 8 year period.
John has accompanied her on about ten trips and each time has filmed her activities as well as four television programs
Five projects are near Suva, the capital of Fiji. It's the city with the most dislocated people, villagers who have left their homes, far from Suva.
They have formed settlements like Namuka i Lau which have more people living in Suva than remain on the original island.
Other settlements are squatter settlements which are generally very poor areas of Suva where a mixture of races and clans have built rough habitations with no water or electricity. Suva is no Pacific island paradise.
Another example is Toko Village near Levuka, the old capital of Fiji. Things like bus fares and school fees must be earned and it usually the women who make the money by creating craft objects, clothes for the children etc.
What has happened recently is that word-of-mouth has created interest in the hire centres. Other villages and settlements have seen the benefits and want to join the Tool Power family.
All new hire centres are given the basic start-up kit. This comprises a sewing machine, a brushcutter, a wheelbarrow, a spade, a handsaw, haircutting set a hammer and an axe. You could assist by funding a complete hire centre.
Additional tools are added when the group proves it can manage the hire centre.
Namuka i Lau Settlement (H.Q) hire centre, tapa production
Wailoku Village sewing, hire centre
Nabuni Settlement hire centre
Kuku Village hire centre. dressmaking, tapa production
Toko Village dressmaking
Wailea Squatter Settlement chutney and jam making
