Tongan families are being offered practical guidance on how to build safer and stronger homes capable of better withstanding cyclones and other natural hazards.
A new booklet, Building a Resilient Home in Tonga: A simple guide to building safer, stronger houses for our families and future, has been developed to help homeowners make better decisions when building or improving their houses.
The guide was developed by Habitat for Humanity New Zealand in coordination with the Government of Tonga and a working group bringing together local and international expertise.
It comes as Tonga continues to face significant risks from tropical cyclones, earthquakes, heavy rain, flooding and rising sea levels.
A key aim is to encourage families to strengthen their homes before disasters strike, rather than addressing structural weaknesses only after houses have been damaged.
Written in plain language and supported by diagrams and checklists, the booklet provides practical information for people who may have limited technical knowledge of construction.
It includes advice on selecting a competent building contractor, estimating likely construction costs and navigating Tonga’s building permit process.
One of its major areas of focus is cyclone-resistant construction, including visual, step-by-step guidance on roof-to-post vertical and wrapped strapping connections designed to strengthen houses against extreme winds.
The booklet also addresses building design suitable for Tonga’s hot and humid climate, including cross-ventilation, louvre windows and wide roof overhangs.
Families are also given information on health and utility requirements involving the Ministry of Health, Energy Commission and Tonga Power Limited.
Homeowner checklists cover preparations for the cyclone season, including inspections of roof structures, subfloors and external carports, as well as safety assessments following a cyclone.
The resource is intended not only for individual homeowners but also for communities and people working across Tonga’s housing sector.
A media soft launch was scheduled for Friday, September 18, at the Live and Learn Office in Havelu, where community leaders, media representatives and housing-sector stakeholders were invited to preview the booklet and hear how it would be distributed to communities.
The initiative places greater emphasis on building resilience into homes from the beginning, potentially reducing the risks to Tongan families and their properties when future cyclones and other natural disasters strike.
