Global Volunteers Head to Fiji
During the holidays, 30 students from Years 11 and 12 travelled to Fiji for 11 nights to partake in the Global Academy volunteer program. Throughout the service week, we had the opportunity to participate in Barefoot Manta Island’s Marine Conservation Program and to volunteer at the local Soso Village school.
As part of the Marine Conservation Program, we were fortunate enough to learn from one of the island’s leading Marine Biologists, Rob McFarlane. We learned about coral reefs, fish, and rays in the classroom, then experienced these things first-hand in the beautiful reefs surrounding the island. The island has a particular focus on the conservation of endangered species of manta rays, which we were lucky enough to snorkel with on multiple occasions. In addition to these lessons, we participated in some practical conservation activities including coral and coconut planting, and beach and mangrove seed clean-ups. Some of the girls also went on a Crown of Thornes survey to extract toxic and invasive species of starfish, which kill and damage the coral in many of Fiji’s unique reefs. This marine conservation program felt truly beneficial in not only educating us on new topics but also helping us to make a positive impact on the island by leaving it in a better condition than when we had arrived.
We had the opportunity to work with the school community on Naviti Island. We were warmly welcomed by the Reception to Year 8 children, staff, and families. Working in two groups, we took turns painting a school classroom and reading with the children. In Fiji, it is a requirement for children to learn English alongside their other subjects to graduate their schooling. Fijian dialects vary between islands meaning it is essential for them to learn English so there is a central language in further education and workplaces. The week we visited the school, the student’s learning was based around the International Day of Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. We were invited to join for a protest around the village. This protest opened our eyes to the way of life and societal issues in Fiji.
The Fijian people are some of the happiest people we have met, with children learning and singing a variety of joyful musical pieces from a very young age. On our final day at the School, children performed various traditional songs and dances. We were able to get involved in this celebration by teaching them a traditional dance of our own – the Nutbush! The afternoon was filled with many fun games of rugby, soccer, and Duck-Duck-Goose. The children and families further immersed us in their culture by providing traditional food and a shell market, where we were able to contribute to their village by buying presents to bring back home to our own families. The people in Soso Village were so welcoming, and while this made leaving the children one of the hardest moments of the trip, we built so many strong connections.
This memorable trip not only allowed us to contribute positively to the marine environment and local community, but also enriched us with valuable experiences and connections with the Fijian people. If you ever have the opportunity to go on the Fiji trip, we would all highly recommend!
