Our story
Waiʻanae Moku Navigators is a 501(c)(3) community development corporation serving the community from Kahe to Kaʻena. Waiʻanae Moku Navigators is a network of organizations working together to build a more resilient, healthier and sustainable community.
The history of planning on the Waiʻanae Coast reveals a consistent pattern: when communities come together around shared values and aspirations, meaningful ideas and priorities emerge. But too often there has been no sustained structure, capacity, or resources in place to coordinate action and seize opportunities when they arise.
Decades of planning efforts demonstrate the importance of community-driven processes, inclusive engagement, effective communication, and long-term organizational leadership. Waiʻanae Moku Navigators was established in response to these lessons.
The History of Planning on the Waiʻanae Coast
Community-wide planning efforts have occurred roughly every ten years since the 1960s.
While some residents find the repetitive nature of these initiatives frustrating, regular strategic planning is viewed as beneficial for a community. Key past initiatives included:
Lessons learned
It is important, as with all other experiences, that the community and community leaders interested in facilitating change take this history into account and identify the lessons learned. These are some elements that could be considered:
Core Community Values
Future efforts must reaffirm and reach a consensus on the values important to residents.
Resources
Identifying and securing funding, community support, and organizational capacity is critical before planning.
Assets-Based Planning
Planning should focus on a community's strengths and resources rather than its deficits.
Sustainable and Predictable Change
Long-term success requires direct investment in community partnerships and flexible financing.
Ongoing Opportunities for Input
Diverse community meetings based on the ʻahupuaʻa (traditional land division) are essential for relevant and inclusive discussions.
Measurable Results
Evaluation should include both quantitative data and qualitative measurements, such as an individual's sense of well-being.