Where We Work
Fiji
Fiji is renowned for its white-sand beaches and spectacular coral reef. But the Pacific nation is also on the frontlines of climate change. Poverty is also an ongoing issue, particularly in rural and remote islands where communities may have inadequate access to water, food security and health services.
Manaini outside her kiosk. Photo: Caritas Australia
The impact of your support in Fiji
Pacific Island Community Organisations meeting on Kioa Island in Fiji ahead of COP27 Talks. Photo: Miriam Deprez.
Fiji
Population: 936 thousand people
Manaini with her family outside their home in Fiji. Photo: Caritas Australia
Families are more resilient to disasters and the impact of climate change.
Manaini taking part in food processing activities with members of her community in Fiji. Photo: Caritas Australia
Community members can boost their income through financial literacy training.
Manaini tending to her garden. Photo: Caritas Australia
People are trained in organic farming practices.
Solar lights have made a big difference in Manaini's community. Photo: Caritas Australia
Communities can install solar lights and set up seedling nurseries.
Manaini's story
In remote northern Fiji, life has always been a struggle for 44-year-old Manaini, a mother of six and grandmother of two.
Meals were often plain and unbalanced, and store-bought food was too expensive. Leftover crops were fed to animals, and at night the village was in darkness, leaving children and the elderly unsafe. Almost a quarter of Fiji’s population live in poverty, with higher rates in rural villages, where any extra income can mean the difference between children completing school, buying medicine, or covering daily essentials.
Thanks to your generosity, Manaini joined training offered by Caritas Australia's local partner, FRIEND, where she learnt food processing skills to transform leftovers from crops into flour and increase her weekly income.
Video: Manaini's Story
Life was hard for Manaini and her children living in rural Fiji. With the support from Caritas Australia’s partner, FRIEND, she learnt food processing and gardening skills, improving nutrition and creating new income opportunities to support her children’s education.
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