Fiji, rainwater harvesting & water security volunteering vacation

Planet

Of the many environmentally friendly factors we contribute to the Dawasamu district, I’d like to pay special attention to our waste management and our water harvesting and water security initiatives .

We host a project here that focuses on Rainwater Harvesting and Water Security. We partner up with the villages of the Dawasamu district and the Bureiwai District where we work towards assisting rural communities in addressing a range of issues surrounding water security and water and sanitation for health, with a view towards long-term sustainability. Depending on the current needs of the community, this project may include elements of community based work, including construction, research and project development, education enrichment and community based workshops.

Moving on to waste management. There has never been a form of waste management or recycling of any kind in Fiji. Before we were around, everything trash related was either burnt or buried. Since we have taken occupancy, we have helped Dawasamu become the first and only district to start recycling trash such as glass, plastic and tin/metal. Since we have been in the Dawasamu district, we have managed to recycle over 21 tons of rubbish. The goal is to spread this initiative throughout the other districts too.

People

We are based in a village called Silana Village in the Dawasamu district of Fiji. Here, in Silana Village, the local community has done so much for us and we do everything we can to give back. Our base was commissioned and built by the local community and the monthly rent we pay goes directly back to them. We do our very best to support local businesses in Silana Village. Food, transport, maintenance and any other supplies we may need are all sourced locally in the village and if there is something that we need that isn’t available, we’ll help source the product and then purchase it from them too. Once a month we offer local and cultural experiences. These local and cultural experiences are activities hosted by people from the Silana Village and are aimed to promote tourism and generate some international income for the village. You may find yourself learning how to weave mats or carve coconuts.

To add to this, our Program Director is the only international staff member we have on base. Every single other staff member is a village local who has trained up and employed by us.