When the storms come: Flora Vano on women, power and preparedness in Vanuatu

When the storms come: Flora Vano on women, power and preparedness in Vanuatu

February 17, 2026 · 30 min

About this episode

Flora Vano discusses women's empowerment and disaster preparedness in Vanuatu amidst the challenges posed by cyclones.

Flora Vano grew up drawing courage from stories and from the women who shaped her. Later, she learned the unforgiving arithmetic of cyclones; what happens when winds rise, communications fail, and care becomes a community’s lifeline. Today, as the country manager for ActionAid Vanuatu, Flora leads women across the islands in transforming disaster preparedness into collective power. In this episode of Stories From the Pacific, host Wendy Mocke meets the organiser who listens first, the advocate amplifying village voices, and the neighbour who always shows up when the lights go out. It’s a conversation about fortitude, leadership and the future women are building in the Pacific: one training, one network, and one storm at a time. Listen now on ABC Radio Australia.

People in this episode

Host: Wendy Mocke

Guest: Flora Vano

Topics covered

Keywords

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: ActionAid Vanuatu

Places: Vanuatu

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