ACTIVely Impacting Lives Positively

ACTIVely Impacting Lives Positively – ACTIV (Alternative Communities Trades in Vanuatu) Association – Non-Profit Organization – Eco-Friendly – Fair Trade – Sustainable – Environmentally Conscious – Ethical

We find them on TOP of the lists of non-profit organizations in Vanuatu that are hugely impacting lives positively for oh so many Vanuatu local communities. We are, yes In-Love with them and we couldn’t help but also shout to the world what they do – all the hard work, dedication, commitment & efforts that they continue to do & natural organic sustainable products that they continue to develop; actively affecting the lives of many Vanuatu communities in a positive way since 2008.

We have also been given the privilege to meet one of the most amazing most hard working women behind ACTIV Association. Miss Sandrine Wallez. We’re so chuffed! Have you met her? If you have then you’d agree that she’s so amazing and she’s positively infectious too! How about their team? Interested? Simply visit their ACTIV Centre in Stella Marie or you will also catch some of them at their Aelan Shop in Port Vila town next to Top Shots across from Elysium.

If you continue reading to the end, you can watch the mini-informal interview with Sandrine and you will know almost every important detail that you need to know about ACTIV.

How about Rosie? You must meet her & the rest of the Team too!

Meet the Wonderful oh so Kind & Hard working Brainchild of ACTIV Community Centre – Sandrine Wallez

Know more about ACTIV Association below – We’ve put together very helpful information taken from their website & Facebook page for some of the photos.

WHO ARE THEY ACTIV stands for Alternative Communities Trades in Vanuatu.

Founded in 2008, ACTIV Association seeks to socially, economically and environmentally empower disadvantaged communities in Vanuatu through fair trade. Some of the local products they help local communities to sell include handicrafts, carvings, spices and oils.

ACTIV is a member of the Fair Trade Association of Australia and New Zealand, ACTIV is a national union of associations, cooperatives, small producers and other individuals from the islands Ambae, Pentecost, Maewo, Paama, Tanna, Erromango, Puninga, Ambrym, Futuna, Epi, Vanua-Lava, Araki, Gaua, Malekula, Mataso, Aneithyum and Efate.

However, ACTIV’s reach continues to grow.

IMPACT

Since 2008, ACTIV Association seeks to socially, economically and environmentally empower disadvantaged communities in Vanuatu through fair trade. Some of the local products we help local communities to sell include handicrafts, carvings, spices and oils.

Supporting Rural Communities

Most of the population of Vanuatu lives in rural areas, and with limited opportunity. ACTIV continues to facilitate skill-building workshops and help communities in rural areas to generate income by identifying economic opportunities. More people now have access to the local and international markets to sell their products, including at our Handicraft Centre, and more are able to contribute to their communities by using new production skills learned at ACTIV workshops.

Improving Product Quality

ACTIV encourages the constant improvement in quality of local products in order to meet demand. With support from the Pacific Agricultural Research and Development Initiative (PARDI), they are educating small-scale cocoa growers on best agricultural practices and linking the local industry with established quality chocolate businesses. With the opening of the Aelan Chocolate factory, these growers will be able to have a strong and lasting trade relationship with ACTIV.

Empowering Women

ACTIV support women by helping them to access economic opportunities and contribute to their family income. They hold workshops for women to build on their skills in handicraft-making, facilitate the trade of their products and help them to diversify their skill-sets. Soon they will be holding specialised information sessions that will provide local women with reproductive education and information on women’s rights.

Protecting Environment

Environmental sustainability is one of the key underlying missions of ACTIV. In partnership with Village Infrastructure Angels (VIA), we have begun delivering microfinancing solar power equipment to rural areas in Vanuatu. They have also held workshops regarding the use of solar energy in the hope that rural communities will be able to enjoy the benefits of energy without the expense of electricity or leaving a mark on the environment. ACTIV even use solar panels to help power the ACTIV Centre!

Know more about their projects here.

MISSION

ACTIV’s Mission is to work across three branches of development in Vanuatu, promoting access to local and international markets for our communities and members, realising production opportunities for disadvantaged communities and facilitating the spread of sustainable energy around Vanuatu.

ACTIV’s business development arm assists individuals, associations, cooperatives and small businesses in Vanuatu to better promote and sell their products.

The income generated through ACTIV on behalf of local producers assists communities in remote areas to become economically self-sufficient and encourages further production.

ACTIV take only a small commission on each sale to help finance the work they do across our other projects. They make sure to be transparent and accountable to our stakeholders every step of the way.

ACTIV’s COMMUNITY

They facilitate skill-sharing and capacity-building workshops so that disadvantaged individuals and communities can start earning. They seek to develop long-lasting relationships with producers so that these opportunities can turn into sustainable income.

They also advocate for gender equity, and especially support disadvantaged women to generate income and contribute to their communities.

They assist producers to develop their products by encouraging high quality production processes and facilitating organic and Fair Trade certification.

They help to improve the rural livelihoods of local communities by developing and coordinating environmentally sustainable projects.

They promote solar power, reforestation initiatives and implement ways to mitigate the impact of natural hazards, such as cyclones, earthquakes and tsunamis.

By encouraging environmentally friendly production, communities are able to benefit from technology sustainably and in an economically viable way.

Can you support ACTIV too? Yes you can.. How? Below are some of the ways

I. When in Port Vila, Vanuatu

1. Please book their Chocolate Factory Tour – Phone us at +678 536 6894 or e-mail us and we can assist on Booking it for you – Doing so help them pay some of their operating costs
2. Please purchase one of their amazing oh so eco-friendly natural products as one of your Vanuatu souvenirs at the ACTIV Centre / Aelan Shop in Town or at any shops that you’d find their products

3. Attend their Monthly Kava Night & Market Day

4. Share this article with your family & friends locally or to your overseas family via e-mail or social media networks

II. When Overseas

You can purchase some of their natural organic products below from our boutique natural products shop online

Buy Aelan Chocolate 100g

AELAN 70% Chocolate — 70% chocolate cacao

2. Buy Aelan Virgin Coconut Oil

3. Buy Aelan Chocolate Coated Nangai-Nut

4. Buy Aelan Super Food Cocoa Nibs 500g

5. Buy Aelan Honey 500g

There you go ladies & gents, that’s ACTIV Association for you! Pretty amazing what they do huh? We’re so in love with them!

So, which of our carefully selected ACTIV Centre Projects – Aelan Brand – is your favourite? Ours?? Everything!! These are so good! Great source of anti-oxidant, good for the heart, diabetic and your soul too!

Buy Aelan Chocolate, Buy Aelan Honey, Buy Aelan Virgin Coconut Oil, Buy Aelan Cocoa Nibs, Buy Aelan Chocolate Coated Nangai Nut

There are many others like them here in Vanuatu and you will also find some of them in some of our blogs where you’ll also find some of their products in our Shop Online if you also want to support them.

We truly hope that after knowing about ACTIV Association, you’d also fall in love with them & support them in any way you can.

The last time we spoke to them and that was only about 2 weeks ago, they have another exciting project in the pipeline! We will be sharing about it as soon as we can!

ACTIV Association – non-profit organization, sustainable Vanuatu, eco-friendly, environmental, hugely impacting lives positively.

Should you have any questions about them & their natural products, please never hesitate to contact us. If ACTIV has touched your lives in any way, or you’ve used their products, please feel free to leave a comment / feedback at the end of this article and share away to your family & friends by e-mail or via your social media networks.

Visit their Activ Shop Online here. Treat yourself and Continue making a difference!