Through the #CoronaVirus #COVID19 Pandemic and Severe Tropical Cyclone Harold (Cat 4), #femLINKpacific’s rural convenors and correspondents, have been treading the various paths and teleworking as they reach out and interview the diverse network of rural women leaders who are part of femLINK’s network of Women’s Weather Watchers (WWW) in their own communities.
Fane Boseiwaqa, Losana Derenalagi, Agu Tuinasau, and Kinny Ceyaqalo spoke to our networks in some six localities and together with Frances Tawake, Rusila Lautiki and Sulueti Waqa are the frontline of femLINKpacific’s rural convenors and correspondents, that are based in the divisions documenting and amplifying the stories of diverse, rural women.
Agu Tuinasau, femLINKpacific’s Nadi/Lautoka Correspondent took time to wear another hat and join the Fiji Red Cross Society in distributing Non-Food Items (NFIs) to homes in Nasoata, Taiperia and Navutu, that were affected by storm surges during Tropical Cyclone Harold.
In an integrated approach during this cycolne season, Agu and her team also conducted community outreach on the #COVID19 Pandemic.
Also with the Fiji Red Cross, Fane Boseiwaqa, Convenor/Correspondent for the towns of Ba, Tavua and Rakiraki, this time wore her #femLINKpacific hat to interview Tavua rural women leader and President of the Tavua Red Cross Society, Rishita Devi.
A “Do No Harm” approach considering the possible effect of the pandemic on the communities and the volunteers is central to Devi’s work and her leadership.
Also in the Western Division, Losana Derenalagi, femLINK’s Convenor for Lautoka/Nadi led a personal journey to to support women that have lost employment due to the closure of resorts in the touristy town of Nadi. Losana conducted outreach and took basic food items for network members in the Narewa and Nawaka Villages and then took the route of the Nausori Highlands to conduct the same.
The arrival of Severe Tropical Cyclone Harold (Cat 4) was a double whammy to these families of which unemployment was already affecting them from the closure of the 5-star hotels on Denarau- and then the arrival of Cyclone Harold which damaged and took away the crops that they relied upon to feed themselves.
“All the families here in Narewa work on Denarau. Now life is even more difficult. Even the breadfruit which was all matured, have now been taken by Cyclone Harold,” said Elenoa Gaunavou of Narewa in Nadi.
“The village men are also looking for empty land to plant cassava because we dont know how long this (Pandemic) will go on for.” said Elenoa.
Losana and her daughter than continued on their journey to families in the Nadi Highlands.
In the Northern Division, the town of Labasa has been a hive of activity with the announcement of COVID19 confirmed cases and the lockdown of two settlements namely Soasoa and Vunicagi.
#femLINKpacific broadcaster and President of the Northern Youth Disability Forum, Jay Nasilasila, who is also a member of the House of Colors, Labasa - an LGBTQI group, outlined the moments where she did not feel safe as panic buying occurred when the first reported confirmed case was announced and the stigma that she felt as she followed the social media commentary around this case. Jay is now safely in her home in Vunivau and has stocked up on water, medicine and groceries and is now teleworking with the other members of the Northern #femLINKpacific Team.
