The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) marked the completion of a partnership that has helped strengthened the resiliency of coastal communities in Namdrik, Republic of the Marshall Islands.

In June 2015, USAID, through its Pacific-American Climate Fund, collaborated with Namdrik Atoll Development Association (NADA) to make black pearl farming a viable livelihood for atoll community members. With USAID support, NADA trained workers in the highly specialized skill of oyster grafting, a crucial step in the cultured pearl farming process. The project also trained community members in grading and valuing pearls, jewelry making and marketing. To bolster the population’s resilience to natural disasters and extreme weather, NADA is reinvesting profits from the pearl farm back into communities, for example, by fortifying houses and procuring water tanks and pumps.

“The U.S. government is proud to work with the social enterprise Namdrik Atoll Development Association to develop a sustainable industry that can provide a better livelihood for community members of this remote atoll, building their resilience as they face an increasingly unpredictable future,” said U.S. Ambassador to the Marshall Islands Karen Stewart.

In the Pacific Islands, USAID partners with national governments to advance sustainable, resilient development. USAID assistance in the Pacific Island region covers 12 nations: Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.