Program Reviews

Nutrition outreach and public health volunteering in Fiji, July 2024... The team of us who were placed in Moala were instantly taken in by the family we were living and were made to feel part of the family. I am grateful for this experience, for the people I met and for the wonderful people who cared for us throughout the 2 weeks. This trip has inspired me to pursue work in global health and the pacific islands, and I hope one day I will be back to reconnect with the beautiful people I met on this trip!

The kids are truly inspiring and made me stay here even in difficult moments. they give so much energy and love without even knowing. all the preparations for the graduation day were definitely my highlight, as the kids get so excited about it. The work in the kindergarten is more about teaching and really childcare. :) Accommodation was ok. only the 2 showers/toilets were bit hard to handle with 16 girls. I didn‘t expect anything regarding food in the Philippines as a vegan - but a bit more variety of vegetable or access to fruits during the day would be great.

I enjoyed the trip. It was nice to meet new people, visit new places and experience a new culture. The highlights include meeting the wonderful children of the school. This was a new experience for me and I’ve definitely gained some valuable lessons and skills from it. Another highlight is being able to explore and travel with the free time I had.

Gwen was very kind and helpful. The local Thai food in restaurants was incredible. The accommodation was nice but a little far from the city so it could be a little inconvenient at times to go there especially when Bolt drivers would cancel repeatedly because of the distance.

I am so blessed to have been lead by amazing dietician and naturopathic professionals who have inspired what I hope to be in this field one day. Words and pictures could never capture how life changing this experience was, and what beautiful souls these people hold. Pictures also don’t capture how challenging and uncomfortable it was at times, but it was worth it to change at least one persons life.

Thank you to the Fijian culture for teaching ME life lessons and for opening my eyes to so many things I was blind to before.

What a fantastic trip. Getting the opportunity to live in a village for a week was so incredibly special, and all of our hosts quickly became like family. The work itself was challenging at times but very rewarding, and I felt like we were making a difference within the communities that we worked in. We were also so lucky to have such an amazing group of women from many different backgrounds; definitely some lifelong friends made from this experience and their hard work and comradery made the trip all the more special. International nutrition is a field I've been interested in working in for 4 years now, and I feel that this trip has increased my skills, my knowledge base and my drive to continue with this work.

I would highly recommend doing this trip for the experience, the beautiful people of Fiji, the memories, the lifelong friends and the opportunity to spend time out of your comfort zone and build a stronger you.

There were so many highlights to this trip! However the one that stood out the most was living in Moala village for one week. The team of us who were placed in Moala were instantly taken in by the family we were living and were made to feel part of the family.

The people we visited in Moala, Yako and Korovuto were so welcoming and grateful to receive health checks. Visiting people in their homes and in the community halls within the villages, it was evident culture and family are so important. The women that live in these villages are the centre to their families, they care for their families and sometimes this can impact negatively on their health. It is important that we conducted health checks on these women because it provides an opportunity for them to make lifestyle changes that will improve their health so they can be healthy for longer and care for their families. There are local champiosn within each of the communities which provides a sense of hope that they will influence others within the community to take care of their health and make healthier food choices.

One observation I found interesting was the traditional Fijian diet eaten in the villages. The food was not particuarly unhealthy, however the addition of flour, sugar and simple carbohydrates (e.g. rice and casava) in very large amounts eaten on a daily basis is contributing towards high blood pressure and high blood sugar levels. Changes take time, and by community members making small changes to their diet blood pressure and blood sugar levels will improve.

This trip was challenging, rewarding, overwhelming, amazing and so enjoyable. I am grateful for this experience, for the people I met and for the wonderful people who cared for us throughout the 2 weeks. This trip has inspired me to pursue work in global health and the pacific islands, and I hope one day I will be back to reconnect with the beautiful people I met on this trip :)

The food provided on the trip was great, however one recommendation would be to include more protein in each of the meals so volunteers feel satisfied throughout the day.
The accomodation was lovely and was nice to be able to share with other team members because this allowed us to get to know one another and share stories and debrief about our day doing health health checks in the villages.

Honestly, it exceeded my expectations. It was a unique experience in every sense, extremely positive and enriching, and I would recommend it to everyone. The attention and help from all parties was excellent, and the experience in the kidnergarten with the children, the other volunteers and the teachers was also amazing.

The local team has been one of the best things about this experience. Their attention has been professional, efficient and optimal throughout my stay. They taught us about the local culture in an entertaining way, they resolved our doubts and problems efficiently, and we enjoyed our free time with them. The food was traditional, tasty and varied. The accommodation was spacious, clean and equipped with everything necessary. Although some problems arose, the team resolved them quickly and professionally.

I wanted to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude for the incredible experience I had during the medical aid volunteering trip to Aborlan last week. Your dedication and support played a significant role in making my time in the Philippines both memorable and enriching.

From the moment I arrived, I was warmly welcomed and made to feel at home, thanks to the wonderful team. Their hospitality, the amazing food, and the overall care they provided were exceptional. I would also like to give a special shoutout to April, my coordinator for the healthcare programme. She went above and beyond to ensure I had ample opportunities to learn and observe, and her guidance and care were invaluable.

The programme itself was nothing short of amazing. Being able to go around the village conducting health checks for the elderly and children was an incredible experience. It was eye-opening to learn about the various barriers people face when accessing local health clinics, including stigma, costs, and the lack of resources and medical facilities. This experience deepened my understanding of the challenges in rural healthcare and the importance of community-based interventions.

Working at the Rural Health Unit in Aborlan was both intense and rewarding. I had the opportunity to put my medical skills into practice by assisting with patient consultations at the front of the centre. It was a fast-paced environment where I quickly learned to recognize symptoms and determine the necessary medications within a short span of time. This hands-on experience was invaluable in honing my clinical skills and decision-making abilities.

One of the most striking realisations for me was the extent to which the communities in Aborlan are under-resourced. The state of the hospital was poor, with a lack of equipment and severe understaffing. Despite these challenges, I was deeply impressed by the knowledge and dedication of the doctors. Their ability to treat patients effectively with limited resources exemplifies the essence of grassroots medicine. This experience has profoundly influenced my perspective on medical practice and the resilience required in such settings.

Another highlight of my trip was spending time with the children in school. The joy and love they radiated were truly heartwarming. Their infectious enthusiasm reminded me of the simple yet profound aspects of life. Through my interactions with them, I learned to practice gratitude and appreciate the small blessings in life. Their spirit and positivity left a lasting impact on me. I became especially close to a beautiful little girl named Anna, I would love to come back and visit her again!

The people I met in Aborlan, both in the community and within the volunteer team, made this experience the best it could be. Their warmth, kindness, and resilience have inspired me deeply. I am immensely grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of this community, even for a short period. I am already looking forward to returning to Tigman to volunteer again and continue contributing in any way I can.

Thank you once again for everything. Your efforts in coordinating this programme and ensuring our well-being have made a significant difference. I truly appreciate your kindness, care, and the opportunities you provided for me to grow both personally and professionally. This experience has been transformative, and I am excited to carry these lessons forward in my journey in medicine.

We got to experience all the work they have to do at this great project to increase the population of the sea turtles. They are also trying to better the environment of this small island and change the mind of the locals there to get rid of the big trash problem they have there. Everyday was something special. We helped cleaning the turtle tanks, cutting fish for the turtles, Cleaned the turtles, get to feed them, went to clean the beach and the street.
The only negative thing I can tell about our volunteering experience was that there were to much volunteers which didn't really care about the volunteering work. There were just there to make party and not for the truly good thing the team is trying to do there.
But that was the fault of the other volunteers.

This project is such a good thing and I really hope that future volunteers will take it more serious! Because only than there will be a real progress soon :)
I really hope for more volunteers with the same intentions than we had, because it is an awesome project!! The Team was soooo great!! They are people with such a good heart and they really want the world to be a better place for animals and humans. The Coordinators really have a passion for this project. Additional to that they are always here for everyone if there is any problem and they always trying to keep you in a good mood. The whole team there is amazing! Everything is clean and the accommodation is really comfy. The food is delicious and there is something for everyone.

Maybe not to much participants. Because we had way to much participant and like at least one half of them didn't really care for what they are trying to do.
And maybe longer working hours. Real volunteers would love to spend more time a day helping the people there so save the turtles and keeping Nusa Penida clean ;)

We enjoyed our volunteering experience in Fiji and loved interacting with the warm and welcoming Fijian people. Masi and Mare were great hosts and made our stay as comfortable as possible. It was also nice to meet and enjoy the company of Chris and Ruby and hear of their experiences each day. Sampreeti loved her experience of volunteering in the kindergarten as well as accompanying us on the health checks door to door for those who were too disabled to attend clinics in person.

We also went to a special needs school (Sunshine School) one day with one of the chief guests who was attending a function at the kindergarten. I donated my bp instrument to the health visitor Aseni and hope it will help her monitor the health of her community through discussion with her local medical personnel. Sampreeti also donated a small amount of stationary supplies to the school for the little students. The school and the Lovu Hart Community were very kind welcoming. I gave a small health talk and watched Aseni deliver a talk to the children and parents on health issues. I enjoyed working with Aseni who was a diligent and caring health visitor. We will carry happy memories of our visit to Fiji. Thank you.

Thanks, once again,
Dr Susmita & Sampreeti