My first Magazine UNDP REACH Impact Stories v13 web_FNL | Page 21

August 2017
Lau Islands, Fiji – It was an eye-opener and most
encouraging for Masela Daukaseti that, during the
awareness raising and service delivery sessions conducted
in her island, Vanuabalavu, she learned that her family,
many of her fellow villagers and indeed herself, could
benefit from the government social, economic and legal
services.
Vanuabalavu Island is located in the Northern Lau Group,
one of the 30 inhabited islands in Lau Group, Eastern
Division of Fiji, scattered in the southern Pacific Ocean.
Some islands have daily boat transport service to Suva,
capital city of Fiji and some only once a week, or even just
once a month.
The geographical isolated conditions are obviously one of
the biggest challenges that people in Lau Islands have to
shoulder to access government services.
This time, however, Masela was able to access government
services on her island. The awareness raising of social,
economic and legal rights which are enshrined in the
Constitution of the Republic of Fiji, and delivery of
associated government services were provided by a
mobile team of government officers and the United
Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Pacific Office
in Fiji.
Masela said, “I have been trying hard to make ends meet
for my family in our daily life according to what I can afford.
We have to deal with boat fare and other transport issues
when we need to visit the government offices in Suva to
seek advice.”
“Now I know that I am eligible for the assistance for our
family. I have already asked the officers about social welfare
schemes during the session here in the community hall.”
This programme is
beneficial to people like
us. It is helping us meet
the needs of our family,
particularly for my three
children to continue their
education.
Tagilo Qalo, Ketei village
Masela’s response to the mobile service delivery was
echoed by others in Lau Islands who received the services.
Tagilo Qalo from Ketei village in Totoya Island is among
them who felt relieved when they became aware that
their daily struggle to meet the needs of families can
be assisted by those services, and was further grateful
to be able to access the services in their communities
immediately without transport worries.
“This programme is beneficial to people like us. It is
helping us meet the needs of our family, particularly for
my three children to continue their education,” said Tagilo.
She is hopeful that the situation will become better for her
family with the services.
During the REACH mobile awareness raising and service
delivery sessions conducted in Lau Islands, a total of 365
persons (175 women and 190 men) from nine communities
in seven districts (islands) benefitted from the services.
IMPACT STORIES Rights, Empowerment and Cohesion (REACH) for Rural and Urban Fijians Project
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