For 58-year-old Latu Hola, the journey to work is often a test of resilience. Each day, she braves the 90-kilometre round-trip from Suva to Kaiming Agro Processing Pte Ltd in Navua, where she works as a ginger cutter, contributing vital work for one of Fiji’s major ginger exporters. The long hours and strenuous commute are made more challenging when bus fares run short. Latu says some days she has the fare to travel to Navua for work but not enough to get back home. When this happens, she has to arrange for a place in Navua to stay until she gets paid and can pay for her fare home. Latu’s story took a hopeful turn in March when she and colleague Mereseini Moceyawa (42-year-old) celebrated the opening of a new women’s dormitory at Kaiming Agro Processing. Supported by the Australian and New Zealand governments through the PHAMA Plus Program, the dormitory will drive empowerment and safety for women. The initiative not only provides a much-needed place for workers like Latu and Mereseini to stay, but it also serves as a safe house. This reflects the company’s broader goals of promoting workplace inclusion and preventing domestic violence. With women making up 130 of its 180 employees across all levels of production and leadership, this initiative is significant both for the company, and for Fiji and the Pacific region. More employers are beginning to address domestic violence, which affects two out of three women in the country. PHAMA Plus worked with Kaiming Agro Processing to introduce a Workplace Domestic Violence Policy. The policy prioritizes the safety and confidentiality of survivors while providing access to support services. It promotes a zero-tolerance approach to domestic violence. Additionally, the policy includes training for both management and staff to ensure its effective implementation and responsiveness to the needs of workers. “The bus fares to and from work take up a significant portion of my income. I feel appreciated and heard in this workplace” says Latu, reflecting on the changes that have made her daily routine more manageable. Her sentiments are shared by Mereseini, who, often has to walk through flooded roads from Nakavu Village in Navua to reach work during heavy rain. Kaiming Agro Processing’s Managing Director, Calvin Qiu, recognises the vital role workers like Latu and Mereseini play in the company’s success. “When ginger cutters are unable to make it to work, it impacts our production,” he shares. The new dormitory not only supports these workers but also ensures the continuity of daily processing and production—demonstrating how gender-inclusive policies can drive business growth and enhance worker well-being. Beyond Fiji, the program’s influence extends to Vanuatu, where Ronaldine Tchivi, a 25-year-old food safety certification specialist, demonstrates the transformative power of inclusion. Through a partnership with PHAMA Plus that includes funding support to her employer Quality Solutions, Ronaldine is empowering local producers, helping them meet certification standards like HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) for global trade and food safety. “I wouldn’t be where I am today without the support of PHAMA Plus,” says Ronaldine, a graduate of RMIT University’s food technologist program. “When clients achieve certification, it’s a victory for everyone—it empowers entire communities.” As a woman in the traditionally male-dominated field of agriculture, Ronaldine is determined to change the narrative. “We’re closing the gender gap in science—don’t let anything hold you back,” she declares, hoping to inspire other women to pursue careers in science and agriculture. Her work with PHAMA Plus and Quality Solutions not only boosts business growth but also strengthens livelihoods across Vanuatu and the Pacific, contributing to a more inclusive economy. The support provided to Quality Solutions is part of broader efforts by PHAMA Plus to promote positive, safe, inclusive and equitable workplaces in Pacific agriculture. For example in Vanuatu, what started as support to the Vanuatu Primary Producers Authority (VPPA) to address domestic violence and its impact on the workplace, has evolved into broader support to develop a Positive Workplace Strategy. In this context, positive workplaces are where workers are made to feel safe, valued and included, and where women are empowered and treated equitably. The Strategy will guide VPPA staff and its 8,000 registered members in adopting practices that prevent violence and harassment in the workplace, provide for equal opportunities for all employees and ensure the safety of children and community members in delivering VPPA and its members’ work. The VPPA Positive Workplace Strategy will contribute to a more inclusive and equitable productive sector in Vanuatu. This strategy is further complemented by PHAMA Plus’ work with partners Spencer Cocoa and Quality Solutions in developing Child Protection Policies, ensuring that children in the communities they work with are protected from violence, harassment and exploitation. By breaking down barriers and ensuring equal opportunities, women like Latu, Mereseini and Ronaldine are becoming catalysts of change in Pacific agri-businesses and reshaping the agricultural landscape. E: info@phamaplus.com.au | W: www.phamaplus.com.au