Volunteer in Fiji with a Non-Profit. Unique Programs!

I volunteered on the healthcare education program on the Coral Coast in Fiji for two weeks. The land and the people were amazing. I loved being there. The food was the best and I enjoyed every meal.

Volunteering on the island was the most life changing and incredible experience.

From the moment I arrived on the island I felt welcomed and loved by ever person! I was lucky to teach in the kindergarten class, as well as go and visit other classes in the afternoons. Emerging myself in to every aspect of the island life has given me a new outlook on life. All of the people are so kind, fun and loving. The children are incredibly helpful and beautiful inside and out. I will never forget my time on the island and will be forever grateful!! Xx

Outstanding Local Coordinators: Teva, Ranandi, Losana, GG at Green Lion:
- friendly
- helpful
- efficient
- well mannered
- thoughtful, etc.

Excellent cook Ani - great food; varied; sufficient; nutritous; well balanced.
Accommodation comfortable, well located, clean.

Persons at Rock Christian Academy were welcoming and super helpful.
Memorable experience! Thank you.

Entrance gate lock arrangement at Rose House needs attention. Some WD40 on the lock would prevent sticking. An upright metal to stabalise one side of the gate should help.

Review from Willem.. (travelled together)
The accomodation was great and really cool to stay with other volunteers. A real experience catching a bus with the locals and the orphanage mamas were friendly and great. Loved hanging with the kids.

Reveiw from Maddy...
The accomodation was great, host family kind, helpful and friendly. Food was great but the experience helping at the orphanage was incredible. Met some beautiful people an experience I won’t forget. The children were so special and the Mamas lovely.

Travelling with Carrun and just a small group of girls who were all amazing….going around the Mamanuca Islands and working in different communities each day was really cool.

Epic team and i’d love to volunteer again with the same group of amazing girls if I could! Carrun was a legend and made the trip super fun.

In the brief it stated we would be working shorter days, and some of our days ended up being 10 hours of work. If I wasn’t working this would have been fine, but I had anticipated being able to work in the evenings. For any students studying during the trip, it would be a bit difficult with the super long hours.

I've lived on Yanaya island for 2 months. Believe me, when I say that I have watery eyes each time someone asks me about my trip. This is the best trip in terms of social experience and personal development. The kids are amazing and the language barrier doesn't exist anymore. I took with me some fishing gear for the village and every two days we were out fishing "Fiji style". I celebrated my birthday there and it was one of the best, thanks to the all-island ! I met so many interesting people and made new friends with the others volunteers.
You will see change in their life but also yours.
Don't be scared it's Fiji Time.

Fiji:
Highlights:
The highlight for me was the home stay option, being able to stay with a family and make a real connection was the best experience. I was so sad to leave the first family, only to be greeted by another really nice family who welcomed me into their home. It was great to see how they lived including eating, sleeping and everyday chores.

Team, food and accommodation:
Masi, his wife Mere and their son Marika were so nice! Marika was there waiting for me at the airport. They made me feel very welcomed (even had Mere check my hair for head lice). The accommodation with them was very nice, clean house, very comfy beds and I felt safe. Also a great location, easy to walk to town and back. Mere made nice food for dinner every night.
The food at the first accommodation was really good and traditional, getting me to try a lot of local cuisine. My room was nice and the bathroom was also nice, very clean house.
The second family on the island also provided delicious food and plenty of it! However I definitely was missing fruit and greens. The bathroom could do with some work but I understand with a large family and children it can get dirty very quick along with the rest of the house. My bedroom was the computer room next door and was clean and big.

Highlights of the trip:
Being greeted at the airport by our drivers, and our first night staying in Lautoka with Litea and her family – she went above and beyond to welcome us to Fiji and ensure that we felt comfortable in her home. She took us shopping and to church on Sunday before serving us lunch and making sure we made it to Port Denarau in time for the ferry.
Getting to experience daily life and culture on the island – our hosts were extremely accommodating and attentive to our needs, and the kids were great tour guides for our afternoons after school. By the end of the week, it already felt like I was becoming a member of my host family.
It was interesting to see how developed the school was despite being in such a remote location – the classrooms were well built and the teachers were very professional and knowledgeable.
The kids, although a little rowdy, were eager to learn and share with us. It was a pleasure and an honour to have the opportunity to teach Class 1 for a couple of mornings, as well as some sessions with Class 2 and 5.
Comments on the team, food and accommodation:
Masi made sure our transport and accommodations at arrival in Fiji were all taken care of – even though he was in Suva, he made sure to phone in and check on us, and explain the arrangements for our transport to Yanuya – this was much appreciated. His son was also very helpful in arranging for our water and kava root to be bought and delivered to the ferry terminal.
Litea and her family were amazing hosts for our first night in Fiji – her home was very comfortable, the food was delicious, and we enjoyed interacting with her daughter and grandchildren.
The transport to and from Yanuya was well organised. We appreciated the efforts made to pick up and drop us off in the longboat from the ferry across to the island.
The headmaster and teachers at the school were very welcoming, and helpful with any questions we may have had during our stay. I appreciated the efforts they made to include us in their classes on the first day / orientation.
My host family were a joy and pleasure to stay with. They were very welcoming to both myself and my travel companions.
The room prepared for my stay was large, clean and comfortable. I was surprised to find that there was electricity / wired lighting provided in the room, and I could have my bedroom light on as late as I wished.
My host mother, Oni, went to great efforts to prepare all meals from scratch, including rising early to prepare fresh bread rolls for my breakfast on several mornings. She was also accommodating of my dietary requirements, making sure not to include any foods I was sensitive to, and making a special trip to the markets to get pineapple when she found out it was my favourite.
When I fell ill on the Thursday night, she was also very attentive to my needs, and prepared only the foods I requested for the remainder of my stay.
I did not see her husband very often whilst I was on the island, but appreciated him meeting us at Port Denarau on our return from Yanuya, and arranging transport for us to the resort.