Abaiang Island, Kiribati

In April 2001 a press was installed on Abaiang Island at the request of the women’s group of a church. The Island is in a remote location 5 hours ferry ride from Tarawa but the village of Evena was ideally situated between the two 600-pupil boarding schools that provided a natural market for the products. The schools provided the food for the boarders and had a high intake of grated coconut, coconut oil and coconut cream. The press was operated by the local village people and added to their mainly subsistence income from the sea. The installation was supported by local Govt. and the Minister for Agriculture attended the opening ceremonies.

While in Kiribati we received news that two other presses that were installed about 4 years earlier, on the outer islands, were still in working order.