Here's what it's like to have climate change affect your island home

Of all the places where climate change affects, it's the small island nations of the Pacific Ocean that are being hit the hardest.

It's a story that's being presented by Fijians in a VR documentary called Our Home, Our People, which has been put together by the World Bank.

The film reflects on rebuilding efforts following the devastating aftermath of Cyclone Winston last year, and the ongoing threat of rising sea levels.

It ties in with Fiji presiding over COP23, the United Nations' climate change conference, which takes place in Bonn, Germany over the next two weeks. It's the first small island nation to preside over the talks, and an appropriate choice given how crucial climate change action is to its survival.

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

The film also coincides with a report released by the World Bank, examining how vulnerable Fiji is to climate change, and pushes for stronger action by leaders on the issue.

Created by a team of five Fijians and five Australians, Our Home, Our People puts the spotlight on the village of Vunisavisavi and Ra Province.

Vunisavisavi is one of the first villages in Fiji to be have houses relocated because of the impact of rising sea levels. You'll meet 11-year-old Catalina, who reflects on how a seawall could help stop flooding of her village.

"[Catalina] is extraordinarily savvy, and I think about what I was thinking about when I was 11 years old. Compared to what she's talking about, it's amazing," Tom Perry, who worked on the film for the World Bank, explained.

Climate change is part of a Fijian child's learning, a point that's emphasised with Asmita, an Indian-Fijian teacher who appears in the film.

"She and all her students went through Cyclone Winston, and so her big focus is making these kids understand why that's happening. Why they went through this traumatic event, and what they can do about it," Perry said.

The deep cultural heritage of Vunisavisavi makes relocation a very difficult decision. Vunisavisavi is the original home of the first Tui Cakau, the highest chief in the province.

"They can't just leave. They've got a duty to their ancestors to stay," Perry added.