Major Supporters

Investing in Community-Led Change in Tonga

Friends of Tonga is a volunteer-led organization built around a simple idea: Tongan communities know what they need. Our job is to listen, help connect resources, and support them in turning their priorities into lasting solutions.

Our supporters make that work possible. Their financial support, in-kind contributions, expertise, relationships, and advocacy help us respond when communities identify a need and provide the resources needed to turn local priorities into action.

Because Friends of Tonga has no paid staff, donor support goes directly toward programs, partnerships, and the resources needed to carry them out.

Our Institutional Partners

We are grateful to the foundations, corporations, sports organizations, charitable trusts, and other institutions whose support has helped make Friends of Tonga’s work possible.

Atlas Foundation

  • The Atlas Foundation supported the construction of the Tu’anuku climate-resilient kindergarten, helping create a safer and more resilient learning environment for children and families in the community.

Edrington

  • Edrington has supported Friends of Tonga across multiple areas of work, including the Tu’anuku climate-resilient kindergarten, climate resilience initiatives, and humanitarian response following the 2022 Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcanic eruption and tsunami.

Bristol Bears

  • Bristol Bears joined Tongan international Charles Piutau in a fundraising campaign following the 2022 Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcanic eruption and tsunami, supporting Friends of Tonga’s disaster-relief efforts and communities affected by the disaster.

London Saracens

  • Following the 2022 Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcanic eruption and tsunami, Saracens and Tongan players Mako Vunipola, Billy Vunipola, Manu Vunipola, and Kapeli Pifeleti came together to support Friends of Tonga’s disaster relief efforts and communities affected by the disaster.

Wales Scarlets

  • Wales Scarlets joined Bristol Bears and Charles Piutau in supporting Friends of Tonga’s disaster-relief efforts following the 2022 Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcanic eruption and tsunami.

Carner Family Charitable Trust

  • The Carner Family Charitable Trust supported Friends of Tonga’s 2026 scholarship program, helping provide educational opportunities for Tongan students.

Pacific Islander Festival Association (PIFA)

  • PIFA partnered with Friends of Tonga to support the No Pelesitiki (No Plastic) Campaign, helping advance community-led environmental initiatives in Tonga. PIFA is a San Diego-based organization dedicated to preserving and promoting the cultures and traditions of Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia.

The Returned Peace Corps Community

Friends of Tonga grew out of the Peace Corps experience in Tonga, and Returned Peace Corps Volunteers continue to play an important role in supporting our work.

Returned Volunteers who served in Tonga remain connected to the communities, people, and experiences that shaped their service. Many continue to support Friends of Tonga through:

  • Volunteering
  • Fundraising
  • Advocacy
  • Professional expertise
  • Introductions and connections
  • Community outreach

Through the National Peace Corps Association and its broader network of Returned Peace Corps Volunteers, Friends of Tonga has connected with people across the United States and around the world who share a commitment to supporting communities in Tonga.

From former Volunteers who served in Tonga to RPCVs across the NPCA network, this community continues to show up for Tonga.

Champions of Tonga

Friends of Tonga is also grateful for the athletes, public figures, and members of the global Tongan community who use their platforms, relationships, and resources to support communities in Tonga.

Charles Piutau

  • Tongan rugby international Charles Piutau launched a fundraising appeal through Bristol Bears following the 2022 Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcanic eruption and tsunami. Together with Bristol Bears, the campaign raised support for Friends of Tonga’s disaster-relief efforts.

Mako Vunipola, Billy Vunipola, Manu Vunipola & Kapeli Pifeleti

  • The Saracens players launched a fundraising campaign for Friends of Tonga following the 2022 tsunami. The campaign supported scholarships for students displaced by the disaster, as well as capacity training for community leaders and Civil Society Forum of Tonga staff.

Giovanni Manu

  • Tongan-born NFL player Giovanni Manu has supported Friends of Tonga’s work in Tonga, including the Tu’anuku kindergarten project. He also selected Friends of Tonga for the NFL’s My Cause My Cleats initiative, helping bring greater visibility to the organization’s work and its connection to Tonga.

Haloti Ngata

  • Former Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle and Super Bowl champion Haloti Ngata has helped bring attention to Friends of Tonga’s work and strengthen connections between Baltimore and Tonga. His family’s visit to Tonga included supporting community-led environmental work alongside local partners.
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Supporting Community-Led Change

We are grateful to everyone who invests in Friends of Tonga’s work, whether through:

  • Financial support
  • Equipment and in-kind contributions
  • Professional expertise
  • Introductions and relationships
  • Advocacy
  • Volunteer service

The most meaningful philanthropy doesn’t begin with “What can we build?”

It begins with “What does the community need?”

Friends of Tonga helps connect those needs with people and organizations willing to invest in the future of Tonga.

Support Friends of Tonga

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