Public Interest Registry (PIR),
the people behind the .ORG domain, announced Friends of
Tonga as one of the winners of the 2026 .ORG Impact Awards,
an annual celebration recognizing and rewarding outstanding
mission-driven individuals and organizations from around the
world for their positive contributions to
society.
Friends of Tonga was named one of seven
winners across five award categories, selected from over
4,200 applicants representing 145 countries. Recognized in
the Environmental Stewardship category, the organization was
announced as a winner during the .ORG Impact Awards ceremony
in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, October 6.
Founded in
2018 by Returned Peace Corps Volunteers following Cyclone
Gita, Friends of Tonga is a volunteer-run 501(c)(3)
nonprofit that supports community-led initiatives across
Tonga. The organization works alongside communities and
local partners on environmental stewardship, climate
resilience, education, and community development, guided by
a simple principle: communities lead, we
support.
Since its founding, Friends of Tonga has
provided more than $750,000 in support for community-led
initiatives, reaching more than 50 percent of Tonga’s
population. Its environmental and climate resilience work
includes the construction of 77 rainwater cisterns,
providing approximately 770,000 liters of water storage, as
well as WASH services and rainwater cistern cleaning and
maintenance that have benefited more than 33,000 people. The
organization has also supported Tonga’s first
climate-resilient kindergartens, designed to withstand
increasingly severe weather.
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Friends of Tonga’s work
is driven by requests from communities and local partners.
The organization does not bring projects into communities
unless people ask for them first, instead helping connect
locally identified priorities with volunteers, donors,
technical expertise, and other resources.
With an
award donation of $10,000, Friends of Tonga will continue
supporting community-led environmental stewardship and
climate resilience projects in Tonga, including efforts that
strengthen communities’ ability to respond to the impacts of
a changing climate.
“We are incredibly honored to
receive this recognition,” said Michael Hassett,
Co-President of Friends of Tonga. “For us, the most
meaningful part of this award is that it brings attention to
the work communities in Tonga are already leading. We have
always believed that our role is to listen, support their
priorities, and help connect them with the resources they
need. This recognition belongs to those communities, our
partners, and the many volunteers and donors who have made
this work possible.”
“This award really belongs to
the people of Tonga and to all those we are privileged to
work alongside: the communities who trust us, our associates
who share their knowledge and expertise, the countless
volunteers who give their time, and all of the supporters
who help bring our work to life. We’re so proud of this
award and we’re grateful for the strong, enduring
relationships at the heart of everything Friends of Tonga
does ” said Daniella DeLaRue, Co-President of Friends of
Tonga.
“The winners of the .ORG Impact Awards are
the best of the .ORG Community, and PIR is honored to
spotlight the work they are doing to create positive change
across the world,” said Jon Nevett, President and CEO of
Public Interest
Registry.
