Volunteering Projects in the Fiji Islands with Think Pacific

I had an amazing time on project and would recommend going to anyone thinking about it! Being able to experience the real Fiji was so great and I felt very at home straight away as my family were so welcoming. All the leaders were so good in helping you feel comfortable and safe at all times and we’re always there to ask questions to and had great advice to give. Making a difference to kids at the school was such a great feeling and it was so lovely to see their progress after the three weeks of working with them. Briefing and debrief were both excellent with briefing being good at getting you ready for village life and helping in the school. I’d say if you are thinking about signing up, just do it! It will be an awesome experience and you won’t regret it!

The country of Fiji itself is so beautiful and spending time in the village on project is even more so. The families are amazing and take you in as one of their own. You get to experience their ways of living, including their culture, their food, you can experience church services with them too which is probably one of the most amazing experiences in the whole project. The children are lovely and are so excited to have you there with them that they get stuck into activities with you too. My time in the village was definitely something I will never forget, as you can see how what you do on project will change the lives of the children for the better. The support of group leaders really help you feel comfortable and can get involved in project knowing they are there if you need anything at all. This really was an eye opening experience!

I took part in the month long expedition in a village called Malake. I had the time of my life and would do anything to go back and do it all again. It’s not like other volunteering projects in the sense that you get to live inside the village and really immerse yourself in the culture which some may find challenging but it was very rewarding. We got to live in a village which was on an island so it was also very interesting to hear some differing experiences between different groups who may have been placed in the highlands. Everyone I spoke to had the same mentality that they had the best time ever though. All Fijians in the village were so kind and they were the happiest people I’ve ever met. It’s so nice to be able to give something more to these people whilst enjoying yourself at the same time. It’s an experience I will never ever forget!

Before going to Fiji you think that your life won’t change that much and life will resume as normal when you are home, but after spending 3 weeks in my little village, the relationships built and impact we made has changed my life forever. Being in the school taught me patience and was far more challenging than I thought it would be, finding that I wanted nothing more than for my children to succeed. The connections built with not only your family but other villagers was something I didn't think would be one of most impactful things to my trip, but without these relationships my time in the village wouldn't have been as memorable as it was. I highly recommend Think Pacific as an organisation and going on an expedition to experience the amazing country that Fiji is.

Think Pacific is an amazing organisation. Prior to departure the staff were friendly and always helpful. When arriving in Fiji I met my leaders who were both amazing throughout the project. During the project I learnt so much about the Fijian way of life which is not only inspiring but very interesting. The days are very busy, there is always something to do and that is what makes the trip so worthwhile and fun. I feel like I’ve made some amazing friends on this trip with volunteers and villagers. Leaving the village was such a sad day as we formed such a tight bond with the community. It was amazing to see the impact that we had as a group on the community and on the school children. It is honestly a once in a lifetime opportunity and I recommend it to anyone.

The most incredible experience of my life, thrown into the deep end and fully experiencing a culture like no other was one of the most eye opening things I’ve ever been able to do!
The support from signing up all the way through to the final day of project was unbelievable!
Wouldn’t change a thing about my experience other than I’d have stayed for longer! The project tests you in ways you can’t imagine before, putting you out of so many comfort zones but you’ll leave with a completely new outlook on your life at home and wanting more experiences of this nature!
Think Pacific really go the extra mile to make your experience one of a kind!
Best month of my life! I’d go back in a heartbeat and the friendships I made will last a lifetime!
Vinaka Think Pacific!

Think Pacific is a small, ethical foundation that works in direct partnership with the Fijian Ministry to provide precise funding, specific planning and coherent support to impoverished parts of the Fiji Islands. This is conducted through well-structured, unique and challenging projects that focus around core aims such as primary and early years’ education, health, aid relief and sport, to achieve definitive development goals set, and monitored, by the Fijian Government in order to leave a sustainable impact on local communities.

In May 2018 I had the opportunity to join one of these projects where myself, and an incredible team of 21, were sent to Navaga Village, situated on the West coast of Koro Island. Like every project that TP plans we were the first, and more than likely the last, team Navaga will ever host, as we aimed to improve their academic primary education as well as introducing well-structured, effective and frequent PE lessons in the two local schools. This would be completed in such way that the teachers will be able to continue to diversify educational practices on the island once we were gone. We also worked to educate the locals of Navaga about health and safety through first aid training and planned talks about the impacts of an unhealthy lifestyle, to strive to achieve holistic health. Not only that, but we also had the aim to inspire and tutor some of the primary students who had fallen behind in the Fijian linear educational system.

I was volunteering in a local primary School, where a fellow volunteer and I were teaching classes and providing the one-on-one tutoring of students in the Kindi class; often the starting class of these kids’ education at the age of five. This was challenging due to the huge language barrier - the Kindi kids had only just started to be taught in English - but after the first few days we began to settle and develop different and effective techniques to communicate with the 13 children and to deliver 5 key aims. This, as well as the tutoring being provided in the other primary years (as the rest of the team were doing) meant that we were able to contribute to the 180,000+ hours of educational support given to struggling students that Think Pacific has managed to achieve across the Fiji Islands, which in turn has resulted in a 40% improvement in literacy (Summer 2016) and around a 15% increase in school attendance.

In a country where sport can unite the nation, the PE lessons in schools are often only once a week and incredibly unorganised. We aimed to introduced a whole host of sports in daily, hour long, structured PE lessons to increase the students' confidence on the sports field and possibly in the classroom. Coaching cricket to some of the Kade School kids was a first for all of them, as they had never played the sport before. We brought over with us sports equipment and lesson plans used to conduct these sessions which were then donated to the school, allowing the teachers to continue such lessons once we were gone.

Whilst volunteering in Kade School, the impacts of cyclone Winston which had previously devastated the island were still largely evident. In February 2016, the most intense tropical storm ever recorded in the Southern Hemisphere hit Fiji and destroyed thousands of homes and schools, leaving Koro Island in a fragile social, economic and environmental state. Two years on from this natural disaster, the Head Master of Kade Primary School was still living in an emergency aid provided tent, and Kindi and years 7+8 were still being taught in temporary structures. Think Pacific, working alongside the Fijian government adapts to such scenarios by not only working to improve educational infrastructure through groups such as our own, but further provides assistance in the rebuilding of teaching facilities on islands like Koro, and get the basic school supplies to remote villages after natural disasters occur.

The entire time out there, a fellow volunteer and I lived with with a crazy but wonderful family of 6, who have now become our second family. We got to immerse ourselves in the Navaga lifestyle and culture, enjoying traditional foods and drink as well as feeling the full effects of Kava, Fiji’s national drink (give it a google), whilst also attending local church services and playing a lot of touch rugby. It just happened to be the end of World Rugby Sevens competition while we were out there; watching England quite possibly ruin Fiji’s chances to win the Series on one of very few TVs in the village in a room filled with locals was an interesting experience to say the least.

After project, I was very hesitant to post anything of my time in Fiji on social media due to the term ‘voluntourism’ being increasingly apparent in our day and age, and am very aware that posts of volunteer work can very easily be misinterpreted. However, after my time with Think Pacific I felt the need to post, to let my friends and family know about this amazing charity and the extent to which they are so far from the phrase ‘voluntourism;’ as they work incredibly hard to leave a long lasting, sustainable impact, not just on the areas they send their projects to, but on the entire of the Fijian Islands. Think Pacific is different because they really do ‘break the mould of the big international volunteer companies.’

It was absolutely incredible. It was insanely interesting experiencing the culture of traditional Fijians in the Village. The scenic country is amazing and would recommend this to anyone. Teaching in schools was challenging and highly rewarding. The Kava ceremonies was a big part of getting involved with the culture and was extremely fun. We also leant and performance the whole mekke Infront of the whole village which was funny! Being a part of the TP team was insane and made friends for life. The food although was repetitive was actually very tasty and they respect all dietary requirements! The Saturday excursions were part of the highlights of my trip, being with the whole team, trekking/swimming etc. Living with the Fijian family also was very interesting and i will miss my family loads!