Every year since 2001, SCF has distributed Holiday Hampers filled with both essential and fun items to 250-300 of the neediest families in Fiji. This year we visited 300 families in 14 villages, including Waisa, Natokalau, Naisaisaivua, Valeni, Domokavu, Bagata, Vunigamu, Bucalevu, Biau, Kilaka, Nakasa, Vanuavou, Vuinadi and Natewa.
This year the hampers included essential food items, such as rice, flour, powdered milk, split peas, cereals, oil and other healthy foods. We also included cooking pots, chopping boards, tongs and other cooking items. Since Fiji is a subsistence economy, we gave lots of tools and equipment, e.g., hand saws, spades, hammers, cane knives, files and wheelbarrows. School supplies for the kids. For fun there was fishing line and gear, sporting equipment, sewing materials, seeds and seedlings to start those needed gardens. Something for everybody.
We had two 3-ton trucks loaded up at 6am, and Cousteau staff spent the entire day up until 9pm distributing the Christmas gifts.
The villagers thanked us for these “blessings,” prayed for SCF and offered sevusevu. There is nothing that captures the essence of Fijian culture better than sevusevu. These kava ceremonies are the central component of all life-cycle rituals, social gatherings, community meetings, and in our case, the villagers way to formally say “thank you.” It was certainly an incredible day sharing lots of emotions.. It’s incredibly rewarding to see how such small gifts can make entire villages so thankful.
The Foundation sends our biggest thank you to Cousteau Resort staff who coordinated and helped in the distribution. Vinaka vakalevu to Helen, Paul, Kitty and her sons, Vita and her boys, Wati, Pete, Asela, Sevo, Seru, George and everyone else who gave of their time and spirit.
