The Vaka Taumako Project (VTP) was the idea of Te Aliki Koloso Kaveia of Taumako. He needed outside help, so he asked Mimi George. In 1996 the VTP started, as a research project permitted by the Ministry of Education and Human Resources of Solomon Islands. PTS was the responsible non-governmental organization (NGO), and Mimi George was Principal Investigator. The VTP was led by Koloso Kaveia, with support of PTS