I AM WOMAN MAGAZINE Fiji - Issue 18
In this issue we look at women "Breaking The Bias". We feature Nazhat Shameem, Litea Masi, Ofa Fisher Qarase. Read their stories and be inspired. We also feature a young lady Susana Vulawalu. We have interesting Columns as well. Have a read and give us some feedback.
In this issue we look at women "Breaking The Bias". We feature Nazhat Shameem, Litea Masi, Ofa Fisher Qarase. Read their stories and be inspired. We also feature a young lady Susana Vulawalu. We have interesting Columns as well. Have a read and give us some feedback.
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PUBLISHER
Lorraine Foster
EDITOR IN CHIEF
Fay Volatabu
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Felix Colatanavanua
CONTRIBUTORS
Lorraine Foster
Fay Volatabu
Atelaite Senibua
Michelle Neeling
Archbishop Peter Chong
Adi Eci Kikau Nabalarua
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Candace Veramu
UN Human Rights Council Media
Michelle Neeling
Felix Colatanavanua
Lorraine Foster
GRAPHICS
Felix Colatanavanua
Evisake Baivatu
MARKETING, ACCOUNTS &
CIRCULATION
Lorraine Foster
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FEATURE STORIES
Judge Nazhat Shameem-Khan
ISSUE 18
CONTENTS
20
Litea Masi
42
46
INTERNATIONAL FOCUS
FOOD
68
74
LEISURE
MUSINGS
On the Cover
Judge Nazhat Shameem
Photography
UNHR Council Media
Layout & Design
Felix Colatanavanua
30
Captain Ofa Fisher Qarase
50
56
TRENDING
FITNESS
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80
WALKABOUT
SME
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BREAK THE BIAS is this year’s (2022) International Women’s Day theme and even though it is two months later, the
cry to break the bias continues.
It is more then two decades after the 1995 Beijing Conference, where issues regarding women were discussed and
codified into the Beijing Platform of Action.
There have been many advancements done by women, as well as advancements done for women, but the call to
break the gender bias is still one that needs to be shouted until there is truly no more gender bias existing in this
world. You could say that is a difficult thing to do but it is possible if we try.
To illustrate the advancements made by women, we share the stories of three amazing Fijian women who are shattering
glass ceilings and challenging gender stereotypes and the gender bias that women can only do certain professions
but can not do others.
Meet Fiji’s own Nazhat Shameem who is a deputy Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, meet
Captain Ofa Fisher who is the highest ranking woman maritime officer and meet Litea Masi who owns and runs her
own construction company. Read their stories and be pleasantly amazed at how far women in Fiji are breaking the
gender bias.
Our columns are filled with heartwarming stories of women globetrotting, women involved in business, and we also
meet three interesting young women; one who is passionate about climate change, another who started her coffee
shop at the height of COVID and another who is breaking the stereotype regarding call centers.
Also in the columns we share interesting life tips and information such as the benefits of water sports, the history
and development of the art of massages, the usefulness of having pets and we are also cautioned about the second
wave of COVID.
EDITORIAL
by Fay Volatabu
Our Lest We Forget Column records two personal tributes for a woman who was not only a stalwart in the Catholic
faith but a woman who was a champion for the less fortunate and lived a legacy of love and compassion just as her
friend Mother Theresa had done. Susana Evening was not only a lady in her own right but she also knew the value of
traditional kinship and had learnt to evolve with time.
Our Walkabout Column challenges us to make our vote count, so as you read this issue, I urge you to celebrate
women who are breaking the bias, celebrate the women who are challenging stereotypes and redefining the world,
and also remember the women who have sacrificed to make women more visible .
I hope that as you read the stories and columns you will vow to Be The Change and help create a new society by voting
for those who celebrate the value of women and their contribution in society, by prioritizing their concerns.
It is never too late to start.
Be the Change! Break the Bias!
4 APRIL | MAY 2022 I AM WOMAN 5
JUDGE NAZHAT
SHAMEEM-KHAN
Shattering the Glass Ceiling
Written By Fay Volatabu
Photos Supplied
“I enjoyed public speaking at high school and I had a teacher in 5 th form, Mr
Cliff Benson who suggested that since I could not be persuaded to sit quietly
in class, the law would be the best choice for me” !
She took up her teacher’s advice and coupled with her dreams of studying
law in the United Kingdom, the young girl who could never sit quietly in class
became one of Fiji’s trailblazers and today she is a Deputy Prosecutor in the
International Criminal Court, in The Hague.
Judge Nazhat, who is one of four sisters, lists her hobbies as reading, baking,
travelling and visiting historical towns and countries. She loves her local cuisine
which includes palusami (local delicacy of taro leaves baked with coconut
cream), pumpkin curry and roti and chocolate cake, with her go to beverage
as coffee. She lists travelling and reading as her leisure activities.
Life at Home
Growing up, the young Nazhat shared that one of the challenging things for
her was the high expectations put on her and her sisters. She is the third of
the four highly educated and accomplished Shameem sisters of Suva. The
eldest is the Fiji’s previous Human Rights Commissioner and now Vice Chancellor
of the University of Fiji Dr Shaista, the second eldest is academic and
poet, Dr Nikhat and their youngest sister is New Zealand based cardiologist, Dr
Raffat.
Sweareing in ICJ.
Photo Supplied.
Photo Supplied.
Who is this Amazing woman?
This amazing woman is Judge Nazhat Shameem-Khan, the third daughter
of Mr Abdul Azeez Shameem and Mrs Ayesha Shameem. Judge Shameem’s
father, Mr Abdul Azeez Shameem a young man from a village near Multan, in
what is now Pakistan, migrated to Fiji many years ago to join his uncle, Master
Abdullah who was a teacher and missionary in Fiji. Mr Shameem who was
a poet and playwright married well known educator, Mrs Ayesha Shameem.
Mrs Shameem was one of the first local teachers to attend the Auckland
Teachers Training College in New Zealand and subsequently taught at Dudley
Methodist Mission School, Samabula Primary School and later Vatuwaqa Primary
School, where she was head teacher for many years before her retirement.
Shameem Family.
Photo Supplied.
8 I AM WOMAN APRIL | MAY 2022 9
She shared that studying was something that was expected of them, when
they were growing up. “I suppose we were all expected to succeed academically
as my parents saw education as the great equaliser and liberator especially
for girls. It was a challenge as they had high expectations, but secretly I
enjoyed studying so it was not really a hardship.”
She revealed also that some of her happy moments as a child were those
spent with family and friends. “Family Christmases, where we all got together
and staged dramas and performances for our extended family, Eids, where
our many friends and family came to eat my mother’s samai, and Diwalis
when we visited all our friends to light diya and firecrackers. My happiest
times were with my family.”
Education
The young Nazhat was educated at the Suva Infants School and Veiuto Primary
School before completing her secondary education at Suva Grammar
School.
Young Nazhat then moved to London after high school to follow her teenage
dream to study law in London. “I had dreamt of studying law in the United
Kingdom and of becoming a barrister at the Inns of Court, as a teenager. My
father researched entry requirements so
I could tailor my studies for entry.” Judge
Shameem shared that it was a challenge
being a private student but support from
her parents motivated her to study hard.
“I was a private student so paying the fees
was not easy for Fijian parents, especially
when my younger sister also went to
the United Kingdom to study medicine a
year after I went but they were strong supportive
parents, and it all eventuated-and
we worked hard to get good marks so we
would not disappoint them.”
She studied at Sussex University from 1978 to
1981 where she attained her Bachelor of Arts
in Law before moving to Cambridge University
where she attained her Master of Law in
1982. She then went to Inner Temple London
for the Inns of Court School of Law in 1983
where she was called to the Bar at Inner
Temple before returning to Fiji. In 1988, she
returned to Cambridge University for her
Master of Philosophy in Criminology.
Nahzat and family pictured in Switzerland.
Photo Supplied.
Nahzat with pet.
Photo Supplied
Nahzat (12), Oratory Winner.
Photo Supplied
10 I AM WOMAN APRIL | MAY 2022 11
Work
The young Ms Nazhat Shameem worked in the office of the Director or Public
Prosecutions of Fiji from 1984 to 1999. In 1994, she was appointed Director
of Public Prosecutions, and was the first woman in Fiji to be appointed to the
post. She held the post till 1999.
She was sworn in as a High Court judge in 1999 making her again, the first
woman High Court judge.
She left the judiciary in 2009 and became a private legal practitioner until
2014. She used this time as a private practitioner to share her knowledge and
train lawyers and judges. “According to the rules of ethics in the United Kingdom,
a former judge who goes into private practice should avoid appearing
before her former colleagues on the Bench. I therefore decided that I would
concentrate on training lawyers on litigation skills, judges on judicial skills and
human rights, and the private and public sectors on good governance and
corporate governance.”
International Posting
In April 2014 Judge Nazhat was appointed as the first Ambassador of Fiji’s
Permanent Mission to the UN and other International Organizations in Geneva
and Vienna.
She was also Ambassador to Switzerland during the period, 2014 to 2022.
In January 2021 she made history when she was the first president to be
eleceted from a small island developing state, as well as being the first Fijian
and Pacific Islander to be appointed President of the United Nations Human
Rights Council.
On March 8 th , 2022 Ambassador Nazhat again made history being the first
person from the Asia Pacific region to be sworn in as an elected official and
as Deputy Prosecutor in the International Criminal Court in The Hague.
She revealed that it was a wonderful experience as she met many people,
especially young people, whom she would not have met otherwise. “I worked
in association with Ms Ana Tuiketei, and we learnt as much from each other
and those who attended the training, as those who attended our training
learnt from us.”
In session.
Photo Supplied.
Nahzat at the UN Assembly.
PhotoSupplied.
The Ambassador’s Role
Since her appointment as Permanent Representative, Ambassador Nazhat
has supported many projects involving Pacific Islands and she held many
roles in various committees and councils in Geneva. She is especially proud
of the work done by the Fiji Mission in Geneva on placing climate change
and human rights, and climate change and health, on the agenda of international
institutions based there.
12 I AM WOMAN APRIL | MAY 2022 13
She worked towards universal representation of all countries in the Human
Rights Council especially focusing on the Trust Fund for small island developing
States (SIDS) and Least Developed Countries (LDCs).
During Fiji’s first year as a member of the Human Rights Council for the 2019-
2021 term, Amabassador Nazhat was nominated to be vice president of the
Council by the Asia Pacific Group.
I believe also that she may have been motivated by Ruth Baer Ginsburg who
said “Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead
others to join you.” Many did support and join her as reflected in her election
as president of the Human Rights Council.
She chaired the Human Rights Council Task Force on Accessibility for Persons
with Disabilities and during her tenure, created the Group of Friends of the
Task Force dedicated to furthering the work of the Task Force.
In 2020, Ambassador Nazhat was appointed co-focal point to address challenges
faced by delegations from small and developing countries, in particular
SIDS/LDCs, and to follow up on the implementation of the measures on
the use of modern technology at the Council. These responsibilities became
especially important during the COVID19 pandemic.
When I queried Amabassador Nazhat about the inspiration or motivation for
her work, her response reflected her convictions about the rule of law and
its importance in bringing about social change. “The belief that the law is an
instrument for social change and justice in all societies, and the belief that a
fair trial and objectivity in prosecutions are the pillars of a justice system that
we can all be proud of.”
Despite her obvious success, Ambassador Nazhat shared that like any other
role, she also faced challenges. These included some of the following. “Speaking
on difficult and divisive issues at the Human Rights Council such as the
right to health and health systems, and a sexual orientation mandate holder,
working to further the integration of human rights and climate change at
the Human Rights Council, working to establish agreement with the Fiji Trade
Unions at the International Labour Organisation, operating a Mission in Geneva
during the COVID crisis, and working to establish consensus during Fiji’s
Presidency of COP 23 at the UNFCCC in 2017, as the Chief Negotiator.”
Ambassador Nazhat believed however that all the challenges she faced always
came to a successful conclusion because of the strong and committed
teams who worked with her.
Nahzat pictured with her husband.
Photo Supplied.
14 I AM WOMAN APRIL | MAY 2022 15
President of the Human Rights Council’s Role
In January 2021, Ambassador Nazhat Shameem Khan of Fiji was elected by
a landslide as President of the UN Human Rights Council, after a contentious
leadership bid left the body temporarily without a leader for the first time in
its 15-year history.
Despite last minute bids for the post by Bahrain and Uzbekistan,Fiji’s Ambassador
Nazhat was sworn in and after one of the busiest years in the council’s
history, without a single session cancelled or postponed due to Covid-19 and
176 resolutions adopted spanning climate change, conflict and vaccine equity,
she no doubt proved herself as a steadfast leader.
Deputy Prosecutor
On March 8 th of this year (2022), Ambasador Nazhat was sworn in as a deputy
Prosecutor in The Hague. This appointment to the Criminal Court, is yet
another feat in her long line of achievements as she became the first Fijian
woman to be serving at the Hague.
Ambassador Nazhat revealed that her work in the Hague involved “Supporting
the Chief Prosecutor of the ICC, Mr Karim A.A. Khan QC, supervising prosecution
teams at investigation and prosecution stages, and helping to shape
policy at the office of the Prosecutor of the ICC.”
For a young girl from a tiny Pacific Island nation, who could never be quiet in
class, Nazhat Shameem has come a long way and I am sure that her teacher,
Mr Cliff Benson would have been impressed and so proud of her. Not only did
she become a lawyer, but she became a Public Prosecutor, a Judge, an Ambassador
and at the United Nations she became the first Pacific Island President
of the Human Rights Council and now she is a Deputy Prosecutor at the
International Criminal Court, in The Hague.
We honour Madame Nazhat Shameem-Khan for being a trailblazer, and
proving that through determination, courage and hope, women in small island
developing states and least developing countries can dare to dream
big, be authentic, unique and break the bias to be anything they set their
heart to accomplish.
To quote former first lady, Michelle Obama’s words.
“There is power in allowing yourself to be known and heard, in owning your
unique story, in using your authentic voice.”
Ambassador Nahzat Shameem Khan.
Photo Supplied UN Media
Nahzat. Photo Supplied . Nahzat pictured with her husband. Photo Supplied
16 I AM WOMAN APRIL | MAY 2022 17
Q&A with Ambassador Nazhat Shameem-Khan
IAW : What has been some of the more satisfying and rewarding moments in
your work in Geneva?
Becoming the President of the Human Rights Council in 2021, with the strong
and united support of the Pacific Islands, working with a small but dedicated
team of diplomats in Geneva, leading on issues of disaster displacement
and translating international policy to national action on disaster displacement,
and seeing the adoption of two important resolutions on climate
change and the environment under Fiji’s Presidency of the Human Rights
Council. Working with Fijian government agencies in Fiji on two cycles of Fiji’s
Universal Periodic Review and witnessing important steps to implement the
undertaking made by Fiji during its UPR.
IAW : You are a trailblazer for women in Fiji, in the Pacific and in the world .Do
you think there is room for more women in the international arena? Please
Explain
There is a lot of room for Pacific woman in the international arena. There are
so few of us, we are often seen as the honest brokers with no agenda, and
the source of a strong, committed yet empathetic voice in multilateral institutions.
Multilateralism succeeds when there is trust amongst delegations.
Trust is often in short supply. Yet that one voice in the room, from the Pacific,
can turn a difficult conversation towards a successful compromise. I have
seen this occur on many occasions, and I believe that at this time in our history
there is a great need for voices from small island states in the Pacific,
and from Pacific women who understand the intersectional nature of discrimination,
who know the relationships (sometimes vexed) between culture
and rights, who can speak wisely to the sensitive issue of gender identity and
sexual and reproductive health, and who can lead inclusive and respectful
conversations with all delegations.
portant and essential from the point of view of social equity, but women who
have experienced discrimination in their lives, then often become change
agents for society. They know what it is like to suffer discrimination, and they
are able to set in place institutional change which offers equity, workplace
fairness, and a level playing field for everyone.
IAW: What do you think are characteristics of a good leader?
Empathy, determination, and passion for the work of the institution. The ability
to inspire others.
IAW :What do you thing the International Women’s Day theme” Break the
Bias : Gender Equality today for a more sustainable tomorrow mean and
how can this be visualised in action or how do you think it can be realised?
The only hope for sustainable social cohesion is gender equity. The only hope
is the building of societies with an understanding of how discrimination and
stereotyping can intersect on the grounds of gender, ethnicity and race, sexual
orientation and gender identity, and all other grounds which lead to bias
in our minds, to create injustice. Bias and stereotyping are a stranglehold on
society’s ability to grow and to progress. When we judge a person on the basis
of their race, or gender, we take away their individuality and their essential
humanity. In doing so, we do great harm to ourselves, and to our society.
Equality, respect and dignity are the sustainable foundations of tomorrow.
IAW: Do you think more women should be in positions of leadership? Why?
You cannot lead without understanding the lived experiences of men and
women in our society. Of course there are feminist men who understand the
experiences of women, who know what it is like to be a single mother working
in a small factory, who understand how it feels to be sexually harassed, who
can manage child care without complaint, but I fear that such male feminist
views would not represent the views of all men. Women’s leadership is im-
BONN at COP23
Photos Supplied.
Nahzat with son at Naples Sicily.
Photos Supplied.
18 I AM WOMAN APRIL | MAY 2022 19
LITEA MASI
I AM A WOMAN BUILDER
Written By Lorraine Foster
Photos Supplied & Felix Colatanavanua
Construction is an industry dominated by men in the global arena. Research
shows that women working in the construction industry comprise only of
10.9%. [bigrentz.com]. The gender gap is huge and there are many factors
contributing to this which is gender bias, lack of adequate training and the
negative perception of women working in construction. Despite these barriers,
women are now entering the construction industry as workers, professionals
and owners.
In Fiji, all construction businesses are owned by men. It is a highly competitive
industry and the big construction companies take all the big projects. For the
medium and small size construction companies, there is a lot of competition
and in some cases there is bad publicity on the services or time they take to
finish a project and the charges.
During COVID, it was highlighted to me that there was a woman owner of a
construction business and she was good – I was instantly interested. Here is
her story.
The First Woman Owner in Construction
We found her – the only woman who owns a construction business here in
Suva, Fiji. Her name is Litea Masi and at the tender age of 31 years old, she
owns a construction business. She is from Kadavu and her dad is from Galoa
while her mum is from Namalata. She is a proud ex-Grammar Secondary
School Old student and has studied at the Fiji National University and APTC.
She has worked in many construction companies and also worked for a while
in the hotel industry.
Her hobbies are travelling and socialising. Her favourite food is chicken soup
and beverage is orange juice. She loves romantic type of songs like R & B.
After leaving secondary school Masi started her tertiary education at the Fiji
National University studying business administration because it was a tradition
in her family to have white collar jobs. Even though she did not find any
interest in business administration she went ahead with her studies to please
her family but after a while, the disinterest set in and Masi began to hang out
with her friends and was seen partying and chilling aimlessly.
One morning she woke up and decided that the so called easy life style she
was living would not benefit her. The constant asking for money from the
family and hanging out aimlessly with friends was taking a toll on her and she
realised this behaviour needed to stop. Masi decided to look for a job so she
would no longer be financially dependent on anyone.
Across the road from her family home was a Taxi Stand called Sanyo and she
went across to ask for a job. She approached the owner Mr Ali Hassan and he
immediately took Masi in as Night Controller. She worked three nights a week
and the pay was not much but it was a start. The work was not easy with the
long hours, Masi began to understand the value of money as she contributed
to the family home expenses and bought things for herself.
Litea Masi doing some construction works. Photos Supplied. Litea Masi with her twin sister. Litea working on one of her project. Photos Supplied.
22 I AM WOMAN APRIL | MAY 2022 23
Why Construction
When Masi was a small girl, she would follow her uncles who did manual work
like carpentry and building. She loved it and would help them if she could. Her
love for the construction trade began then and as she grew up, she would do
small maintenance work at home.
When she was a teenager, Masi had an uncle who worked at the Grand Pacific
Hotel and she asked her uncle if he could get her a job at the Hotel. She was
prepared to do anything and her uncle was a bit concerned that Masi was
female and that the Maintenance Section only had male staff.Masi insisted
and this was Masi’s introduction into working in a male dominated industry. At
first her family was a bit disappointed at Masi for having a blue collar job, but
Masi continued with the job she now loves. Her pay was good and Masi realised
she was now in her comfort zone.
the period where Masi became one with her God. In the evenings she would
attend church service and one night a lady prayed over her and told Masi of
her future. She foresaw Masi having a business, men working under her and
becoming a successful business owner. It was at this point that Masi started
working towards her future. Look at her today.
While working for Tru Build, a construction company, Mr Ahmed Faruk, the
owner would send Masi to do renovation work on a few of his projects. He immediately
saw the great potential in Masi and how she was good at her work
plus her excellent leadership qualities. He encouraged Masi to learn as much
as she could while she was with him and influenced Masi to open her own
business. Masi was afraid as she was still in her twenties and felt she was too
young but Mr Faruk kept on encouraging her. Today Masi accredits her motivation
to start a construction business to Mr Ahmed Faruk and his wife Julier
Cleary.
Some of Litea Masi’s projects.
Photos Supplied.
Litea’s finishing project for a bedroom. Another one of her kitchen project. Photos Supplied.
Starting Her Own Construction Business
As she progressed and got work experience, she worked at a few prominent
construction companies and had jobs at a few five Star and seven Star Hotels
around Fiji. She also worked on the construction of private homes and
throughout these years she learnt the logistics of construction work. While
working in Nadi in the hotel industry, Masi began missing her family in Suva
and one day she decided to leave everything in Nadi and come in to Suva.
At this stage leaving behind a job and her friends, she left everything in God’s
hands. When she got home, her family was so happy to see her and that
night at home, there were pastors and they were looking for driver to take
them to the west for a conference. They immediately hired Masi and this was
With Mr Faruk continuously encouraging Masi to open her business, Masi reluctantly
decided to start the process of opening her business. She was still
unsure of herself but went ahead and got a Tax Identification Number for her
new Company.
As she did renovations, Masi started posting photos of her finished work on
social media and was pleasantly surprised to get good feed-back. She then
got her first job and was quite excited about it. She has never looked back
since and when the Fiji Times did her story as a Woman Builder, this motivated
Masi to seriously consider having her own business.
24 I AM WOMAN APRIL | MAY 2022 25
In 2018, Masi formally registered her construction company called Masi’s Interior
Exterior Designing and Home Finishing. But to get her company up and
running, Masi struggled as she needed tools and equipment for specific job
tasks. She needed funds to buy her own tools of trade. With tears in her eyes,
Masi explained how she raised her own capital.
Masi owned two phones and decided to sell the iphone. With the $150 she got
from the sale, she bought meat and other food products and took a rental
car to Naitasiri Highlands to sell the products in the villages. She had an understanding
with the rental car company to give her a good deal. She did this
every day for about two years and it was not easy. She had to wake up early
every day, purchase the meat and food products to sell, pack the products
and travel to the villages to sell the products. She would arrive home very late
in the evenings very tired. Her consistency and sacrifice paid off. She saved,
continued to contribute to family home expenses and bought equipment
and tools for her business. Masi now is well known around the villages in Naitasiri
and every now and then she visits the local pastors at these villages
and contributes to their daily up keep.
In 2021, Masi applied for the YGAP/YHER Program for women enterprenuers
and her application was accepted. From the high number of applications,
Masi was selected to attend their boot camp at the Pearl Resort. The week
long boot camp was about business development and was designed to support
women owners to develop market based solutions to address social and
environmental problems. This program was such an eye opener for Masi and
in April 2022, Masi was selected to show case her business services to the
public. This was a huge success.
Today Masi has six full time staff who are experienced in almost all fields in
the building trade. The Company offers the following Job Tasks:
• Home Renovation / Building
• Kitchen Renovation
• Tiling
• Painting
• Plumbing
• Electrical
• Carpentry
• Welding
• Joinery
• Plastering
• Other construction work
Litea Masi’s Business name and logo. Photo Supplied.
As owner of the business, Masi orders materials for her clients where she uses
her network in the hardware industry to get quality materials. She gets quotes
and discusses material costs with her clients. The time period for the project
is confirmed and the project starts. She is seen on-site with her workers to
supervise, offer assistance and do work. Her workers always consult her for
help on certain job tasks they are unsure of. There are exchange of ideas and
learnings between one another. There is always mutual respect between the
workers and Masi. When Masi builds or renovates private homes, she tries to
bring the essence of the hotel décor into the designs. She feels it gives that
special classy look to the home.
Litea Masi pictured with a finished installiation of roofing iron on a property.
Masi firmly believes in God. She has left everything in his hands. If she has
work in villages, she ensures she gives her sevusevu and contribute towards
the Pastor’s daily upkeep. Sometimes when driving around for work, Masi is
seen talking to herself but she isn’t. She sometimes speaks to God and she is
not ashamed to let me know of this.
She does all her administrative work in her spare time and for a young entrepreneur,
she is on the right path as she has her logo, business stamp, business
bank account, business deposit books and other documents needed to
conduct a successful business.
During COVID, Masi’s business did not get affected as they had construction
projects but had an issue with the shortage of materials. She jokes that most
of the white collar jobs had to stay home while she was busy during COVID.
26 I AM WOMAN APRIL | MAY 2022 27
Future Plans
Masi is an introvert – soft spoken but has a lot of confidence in herself. When
she spoke about her future, I was awed at how sure she was concerning her
future plans. I know she will achieve her future goals and we are excited to
see the progress in the next five years.
Through her work Masi realised the issue of going from one hardware store to
the next, to find specific materials and equipment. It takes time and can be
expensive to travel from one store to the other.
Her future plan is to have a Hardware Store that has everything that a builder
wants. As she says “Everything under one roof.” This hardware store will be
open for extended hours and if possible a 24 hour one stop shop would be
handy. An advantage in a 24 hour hardware store is that there is a minimum
time period to receive materials. Materials can be ordered in the evening and
delivered the next morning when everything opens. There have been many
complaints about delays of delivery of materials from hardware stores. This
causes delays in the work being completed on time.
Masi’s vision of a good hardware store is to also have access supply of materials
to cater for natural disasters and there is no shortage. During COVID it
was difficult to complete projects as there were shortages of materials and it
caused unnecessary delays. She believes in local quality products.
With Climate Change being an issue in Fiji, Masi is looking at venturing into the
building of sea walls using recycled materials like empty bottles and other
materials. She has been doing research on this venture and Masi is a strong
believer in using recycled materials and local materials. It will also help in
keeping the environment clean. We wait in anticipation for this plan to become
a reality.
Litea Masi working on her project(s).
Photos Supplied.
Advise to Young Women Looking For a Career
Masi is a believer in blue collar jobs. In her industry Masi says “The Construction
Industry is not about education. There are young people that come into
the industry with written qualification that have a high expectation of what
they want to do. In this Industry, it is mainly about the passion you should
have to enjoy your work.”
According to Masi, the construction business needs more women because
they are unique in a sense that they look at the finer details of what they are
building. This trait is obvious in Masi’s work as she is quite fussy about the finer
details. Her finished kitchen and bathroom renovations are “wow” factors.
Today Masi looks after her mum and takes care of her family household
needs. She adamantly says “When we were young, our parents looked after
us and therefore when we are able to stand on our own two feet, we should
look after our parents.” Masi stresses to all young people to respect your parents.
Domestic Violence
“Domestic Violence happens in Fiji because men think they are it. They earn
money for the family and think they can do anything. If it was me, I will tell
the man to get out. I don’t need you here. It is because I can look after myself
financially.”
“I feel sorry for some women who can’t say anything because they depend
on men. We women can do anything. We can go out and get a job and earn
a living and look after ourselves and our family.”
As the interview came to an end. I was totally amazed at the humbleness of
this young woman and her closeness to God. She says she feels at peace
now and loves being on her own and coming back home after work and relaxing.
She does have time for friends and goes out and have a good time but
she has priorities.
We will continue to follow Masi’s life journey closely and we hope her story has
motivated some of you to keep striving.We leave you with this quote that best
describes Masi – “You will be defined by not just what you achieve, but how
you survive.” – Sheryl Sandberg
28 I AM WOMAN APRIL | MAY 2022 29
CAPTAIN OFA
FISHER-QARASE
The Seafarer
Written By Fay Volatabu
Photos Supplied & Felix Colatanavanua
“ The maritime world offers alternative schedules and lifestyles for those looking
for something a little less traditional. “
These are the words of a woman who was inspired to work in the water from
childhood. She decided to follow her dream and today she is the most qualified
woman in the maritime industry.
Who is She?
She is 49 year old Ofa Fisher Qarase, of Viani Bay in Vanua Levu (the northern
island of Fiji), who has maternal links in Lakeba, Saqani (also on the Northern
island of Fiji), and is the third in a family of four females and one male sibling.
She is married to Josefa Qarase, of Mavana Vanua Balavu (another island in
the Eastern maritime region of Fiji) and is a mother of three boys. Being from
the maritime region, it is no wonder that Ofa is inclined to work near the sea
that even her eldest son has followed her inclination and is now also studying
at the maritime institute, learning nautical knowledge, to become a Master
on a ship.
Ofa loves singing and reading, cooking, diving and fishing, playing netball
and volleyball. Her favourite food is home made delicacy of her province,
wacipoki (stuffed taro leaves cooked in coconut milk) and her favourite drink
is bu (green coconut water). Her leisure activity is listening to her calm music
while cooking dinner.
Education
Ofa’s primary education was at Somosomo District School and her secondary
education was at nearby Bucalevu Secondary School before completing
her studies at the Methodist girls school Ballantine Memorial, in Suva. Ofa attended
the Fiji Institute of Technology (now the Fiji National University) where
she studied for her Diploma and also attained qualifications to be a Master
on a ship. She also attended the University of the South Pacific where she
was one of two trained at their TAFE institute as certified trainers and assessors.
Ofa then attended the World Maritime University in Sweden where she
attained her Masters of Science in Maritime Affairs specializing in Maritime
Safety and Environment Administration. Currently she is the highest qualified
woman seafarer in Fiji.
Ofa with her collegues graduating from World Maritime University in Sweden.
Photos Supplied.
Ofa pictured on a shipping vessel.
Photos Supplied.
32 I AM WOMAN 2022 APRIL | MAY 2022 33
Why Seafaring?
Ofa shared that her dad who is a seafarer and a diver inspired her to follow
this path. She added that she was always near the sea. “Where we stay we
don’t use cars but travel by boats.” Ofa shared that though her interest was
always to work in the sea, she however tried working on dry land but found
the work unsuitable for her. “Soon after school I was working with the British
and American Insurance office but I couldn’t do my work and was always falling
off to sleep so I went back home and stayed home for a while.” Ofa then
decided to do what she had always wanted, learn skills and maybe start a
business doing what she loved the most, working near or at sea.
Work Experience
Ofa’s experience is vast and she is currently a consultant at South Sea Towage
Limited which is located at Eliza Street. Her work is to provide consultation
to address maritime environment issues, including pollution, safety and security
to ship and personnel. She also provides information on maritime nuclear
radio activities to SIDS (Small Island Development States). She has also
done work for Sustainable Maritime Services and done consultancy work at
SSTL, MSAF, TPAF and FNU. She was also Captain of the vessel Aggressor, and
worked at Bligh Water Shipping and Captain Cook Cruises.
With all of Ofa’s experience it is understandable that she had views about the
maritime training and the standards of maritime industry.
Maritime Training
As the Chairperson of Women in Logistics and Transport in Fiji Ofa revealed
her plans for the development of women. The first was to have more women
attain higher qualifications. Ofa shared that a lot of women worked on board
ships but the issue was getting them to move up the ranks. “We need to
meet all those on board and talk to them about the challenges they meet on
board. Try and expose them to other courses to help them grow as a seafarer.”
Ofa shared that women had to increase their knowledge and skills on dry
land by going back to study so they could move up the ladder of leadership
at sea.
There were many ways to reach the rank of Master. One option was to enter
as a cadet and train to be an officer. The other was to be an ordinary seamen
and go up the ranks to Deck Watch rating, Deck Able seaman then Master.
For engineers they could move up the ranks from Engineering Watch rating,
Engineering Able Seamen to Chief Engineer. Ofa shared that there were two
classes of Master on ships. Class 2 were Masters or Chief Engineers Engines
of a boat and Class 1 who were officers on International Foreign going vessels
with unlimited tonnage.
Ofa working from home.
Photos Felix Colatanavanua
Ofa being greeted by other officers.
Photos Supplied.
34 I AM WOMAN 2022 APRIL | MAY 2022 35
Ofa shared that time spent at sea also contributed to ranking after being
trained on land. There were various sea times of working at sea for ranking
under the International Maritime Organization Globally. According to
the STCW Convention which Fiji had ratified these were the standard times
for qualifying seamen. From Ordinary Seamen to Deck watch Rating it was
six months. For promotion from Deckwatch rating to Able Seamen it was 18
months and from Able Seamen to Master it was 36 months.
Apart from the need to improve qualifications for seafarers, Ofa was also
interested in seeing the general improvement of conditions in the maritime
industry which was difficult as she saw the Maritime sector being wrought
with challenges.
Maritime Challenges
There were many challenges but for a start Ofa felt that there was a need to
implement treaties and conventions that have already been ratified by the
government. Fiji needed to implement the Maritime Convention and she said
doing so would contribute to more income coming into the industry and to
the economy.
For starters Fiji needed to be a Port of Registry and there needed to be a localization
of services which could be done if Fiji was a Port of Registry. Being
a Port of Registry would enable us to make agreements with international
ship owners, for example a ship calling in to register would have agreements
with the local authorities and Fiji could then have a Port of Registry with Foreign
ship owners. We would then be able to regulate and implement Maritime
Conventions and have MOUs with nearby countries to allow seafarers to
move around. Fiji could become a hub in the Pacific.
In addition to the above issues, Ofa felt also that policies needed to be put in
place to cover the minimum rate for seafarers and demarcate workers on
land from those working at sea.
An additional challenge also was that there were no courses given for engineers
so there was no movement upward and no courses were offered for
outside training.
With all the work challenges Ofa observed also that environment degradation
was also something that needed to be addressed
March on W0RLD MARITIME DAY.
Photos Supplied.
Ofa also shared that in all her work she was aware that women only made up
three percent of the industry so she was keen to work towards getting more
girls and women interested and qualified to go up the ranks.
She also hoped that more scholarships would be given to Women Seafarers
so more women could be identified to go for training. Ofa revealed that
since women made up a very small percent of the maritime industry, she
was hopeful that one day women would break the bias and see the maritime
industry not only as a viable employment option but also as a very lucrative
career option. She shared that women were going into aviation but as
a comparison a person with Master Class 1 qualification had more pay then
aviation pilots.A point worth pondering over.
“My interest and my purpose is seeing all the younger generation to go as
high as they can in their careers.”
For a woman who is already a trailblazer in a very male dominated field, I am
sure that this is something to look forward to and if her track record is something
to go by, the Fiji Maritime sector is going to see a shift to have more
women seafarers in the not too distant future.
36 I AM WOMAN 2022 APRIL | MAY 2022 37
Ofa’s achievements also include the following.
• Ofa has written two manuals for Safety Safe Ship Managament System (SSMS)
and, (ISM) International Safety Mode Code
• She has a Maritime ships and Port Security.. Certificate
• Has Taught more then 6000 students at FNU (Fiji National University): Class 6 Master
Engineer
• Masters: Less then 300 tonnage
• Captain: Dive Boat:
• USP: Training Assessor Certificate 4
• FIT: Diploma in Nautical Science:
• Ofa was one of the first five women to be sponsored by ITF for a course in which
she represented Fiji in glo-fouling –Fiji was chosen to be the leading country
• She also attended a course in Cuba and Jamaica on Nuclear Radio Activity Maritime
and International Agreement.
Ofa pictured at work on a shipping vessel.
Photos Supplied.
Ofa Fisher Qarase in her attire classed as, Captain.
Photos Felix Colatanavanua
38 I AM WOMAN 2022 APRIL | MAY 2022 39
Q&A with Captain Ofa Fisher-Qarase
IAW: What has been some of the most challenging times in your career?
When I’m discriminated as a woman in the man’s field.
IAW: What has been some of the more satisfying and rewarding moments in
your work?
Having to teach and train personnel who feel more confident with you and
having to see them excel in their career.
IAW: Do you think more women should be involved in the work that you do?
Explain
Yes I strongly believe that more women should be involved in this field because
of the following reasons:
• Competitive pay: Especially as an alternative to college and avoiding student
debt, working in the marine industry offers competitive salaries. Also,
you save money not paying for meals or accommodations when you’re on
the job.
• Travel: Getting paid to travel the world is a huge draw for many people
who work on the water. You get to work all over the world and have the
open sea for an office.
• Condensed work schedule: If you like the idea of getting all of your work
out of the way at once, then working at sea might be perfect for you. People
will often work for long periods at a time, followed by long periods off
— which can mean you have months off that you can spend however you
like.
• An alternative to a typical 9 to 5 job: Many people are trying to avoid
spending their professional lives in an office. The maritime world offers
alternative schedules and lifestyles for those looking for something a little
less traditional.
• Respect: Working your way up to become an officer on a large vessel is
something that commands respect around the world. The maritime industry
offers a non-traditional route for women to find rewarding careers of
which they can be proud.
• Job Security: With the marine sector only growing, the opportunity to find
employment won’t be diminishing any time soon — it’s an industry you can
rely on.
40 I AM WOMAN 2022
IAW: Do you think more women should be in positions of leadership?
Yes, I strongly believe they should as women are often considered to be more
productive than man.
IAW: What do you think are characteristics of a good leader?
A good characteristic of a good leader is to see that his/her worker achieves
their dreams.
IAW: What do you think the International Women’s Day theme” Break the Bias :
Gender Equality today for a more sustainable tomorrow mean and how can
this be visualised in action or how do you think it can be realised?
Having more women is good for business and for society. Yet there are many
conscious and unconscious biases around us, which hinder the forward
movement of women. Our industry specifically is male dominant and is not
considered favourable for women. I, for one, am a strong believer that we
have the power within us to overcome these challenges if we set our mind
to it. We must shine a spotlight on our sisters to get inspired to break these
self-limiting beliefs by conquering their minds.
IAW: State a fun fact
I went to school in Bucalevu in the 80’s and we used to hand pick avocados
which were then sent to Buckingham Palace for the Queen.
IAW: State a fact with regard to seafaring?
To be a Class 1 Master on a boat is equivalent to having a degree on land.
Ship display Singapore.
Photo Supplied.
APRIL | MAY 2022 41
INTERNATIONAL FOCUS
Michelle posing in her pacific island themed attire.
My Life in a Bubble – Introduction
Michelle used to be a photographer for I
AM WOMAN MAGAZINE. She now resides
in China and will be providing us with
updates of her travels in this
column.
On May 31, 1991, a group of people
gathered at Perth International Airport
in Western Australia to wave
goodbye to a 20-year-old woman
who was flying off to live in Japan.
Those people – the woman’s dad,
brother, sisters and friends – didn’t
know that day that the woman would
never come home again.
But now they know. And I know too.
Because that young woman was
me. And I’m still roaming the globe 31
years later.
I don’t know what it is that makes
a person transition overnight from
someone who’s never left their state
to someone who transits the globe
for three decades. (Although my therapist
and I are working hard to figure
it out!). I’m not sure I ever intended to
stay away for good. I was restless in
WA and I was desperate to explore
other places and cultures. But the
staying away forever bit sort of happened
by accident. I lived in Japan
for a couple of years then moved to
London. And I loved it so much there
that I stayed. And stayed. And then I
realized that my life was there, that
I’d built some foundations beneath
my feet that were hard to walk away
from. So I stayed some more. I even
got the passport.
by Michelle Neeling
Then one sunny day I met a lovely
Englishman whose hankering for adventure
matched my own. He was living
in South Africa when we met, and
I visited him there a couple of times,
and he flew over to the UK to meet
my friends and family. And we decided
that we were the real deal, and
that we were going to stay together
forever.
And so finally it took an Englishman to
drag me away from England. In June
2010 I moved with Mike to Jerusalem,
then in 2012 to Switzerland, where the
two of us became four. Three years
later we moved to Pakistan. Then in
2017 our first ever flight on the national
carrier of a beautiful South Pacific
island nation took us to our new
home…
Ah, Fiji… What a glorious four years we
had on your stunning shores! The first
twelve months were tough - it always
Michelle with her sons.
Photos Supplied.
INTERNATIONAL FOCUS
takes me some time to find my feet
in a new place – but when we moved
into a lovely house on the beach at
Suva Point, our real Fiji lives began…
There’s so much to love about life in
Fiji. Our twins, Keir and Viggo, started
their school life at Waldorf, where
their lovely teachers gave them all
the support they needed to ease in
to education in their own sweet time.
Then when the boys were about to
turn five they were ready for the big
school… From the moment they first
arrived at ISS they were in love!
Mike was very happy in his job with a
humanitarian organisation. His work
took him all over the South Pacific so
the boys and I didn’t always see a lot
of him, but with the help of our beautiful
nanny and the wonderful woman
who looked after our house, we found
our rhythm.
And as for me… One of the ironies of
life as a “trailing spouse” is that you
have lots of help at home – help that
you could really do with in “normal
life” when you’re run ragged trying to
tick everything off your to-do list - but
you’re not allowed to work… Across
the globe, there are thousands of
expat Wives and Girlfriends and Boyfriends
and Husbands (OK, maybe
WAGs works, but not BAHs so much…)
who are trying to figure out creative
ways of contributing to the countries
they find themselves living in. As I discovered
in those early days in Suva,
you can only bake so many banana
cakes with the kids before the walls
start closing in…
42 APRIL | MAY 2022 APRIL | MAY 2022 43
INTERNATIONAL FOCUS
Michelle with her family.
Photos Supplied.
There are lots of people in Fiji doing
incredible work to improve the lives of
others. I could see people all around
me doing amazing things – volunteering
at the hospital, raising money
for sick kids or ailing adults, bringing
in teams of surgeons from abroad to
perform free heart surgeries, looking
after elderly people who could no
longer look after themselves.
After joining some groups and talking
to a lot of people, I decided that my
skills were unfortunately not in doing;
an Arts degree didn’t set me up
very well for a lot of that. But while
I couldn’t do, I could certainly document.
So me and my camera got
busy. Very busy. Before covid threw a
big wet blanket over the world, I’d become
pretty much a fulltime volunteer
photographer. I used whatever
photography skills I’d acquired along
the way to help charities in any way
I could - doing family photo shoots
for the families of sick kids here, photographing
fundraising events there,
even running workshops to share my
love of photography with others.
But alas, all good things must come
to an end. In April 2021 it was time for
us to say a tearful moce mada to Fiji,
and to start our long journey across
a pandemic-ridden world to our new
home in China.
In her wonderful book Lolita in Tehran,
Azar Nafisi writes, “You get a strange
feeling when you’re about to leave
a place, like you’ll not miss the people
you love but you’ll miss the person
you are now at this time and this
place, because you’ll never be this
way ever again.” I get it. I do miss the
people I love in Fiji, but after nearly
a year in China, I also really miss the
person I was and the life I was living.
I’d imagined before leaving Fiji that
when I arrived in Beijing I’d be able to
hit the ground running as a photographer…
Photographing people is my
passion and there are really A LOT of
people here to photograph! But being
an events photographer in a country
with a zero-covid policy is like being
an arborist on the moon… Your skills
are slightly superfluous to requirements.
So my camera doesn’t come
out so often anymore. And when it
does it’s just to capture memories for
me and my family.
And I’m forced to reinvent myself yet
again. This time I’m focusing on an
occupation that requires less equipment
than photography does. No
cameras, lenses, backdrops, flashes
and reflectors now… All I need is paper
and a pen.
Things are still incredibly strict here,
covid-wise - and indeed here in Beijing
things are currently getting much
stricter – so while I can’t regale you
with tales of travels across the Middle
Kingdom, I can tell you some stories
about life in my Beijing Expat Bubble
in the strange and interesting year of
2022.
Things are unfolding so rapidly here
– or should I say folding, into ever
smaller squares that reduce us from
big-city dwellers to inhabitants of the
four white walls of our apartment – so
I’ve started journaling my experience
five times a day. An alarm is set on
my phone for 9am, 12pm, 3pm, 6pm
and 9pm, and every time it goes off
I grab a pen and write for three minutes
about what’s going on. I’m sure
that for all of you out there in the rest
of the world this is going to read like
a diary from April 2020. But I failed
to keep a diary back then – just like I
failed to keep a diary when I got on
that first plane way back in 1991 - so
maybe this will be my second chance
to document how the world looks
from lockdown and beyond.
I look forward to sharing my bubble
with you.
INTERNATIONAL FOCUS
All smiles, Mrs Michelle Neeling.
Photos Supplied.
44 APRIL | MAY 2022 I AM WOMAN 45
FOOD
RETRO Café
by Fay Volatabu
The Café
When did you officially open?
Retro Café opened on April 1st 2022
When did you start operations?
FOOD
What are the range of items you
serve?
There are grilled food, loaded fries,
kids meals, hot and cold beverages,
iced mochas, fresh home baked muffins
and doughnuts
A picture of a Retro Cafe’s product.
Q& A with the owner of RETRO Café
The latest sensation at the Sigatoka Coral Coast is a hip café with a very
catchy name. We spoke to the owner and she shared some insights on the
reason for the café and how she has been doing so far.
The Owner
Photos Supplied.
• Name :Kaajal Krishtika Narayan
• Hobbies :Cooking, Swimming,Fishing,Listening to music watching movies
• Favourite Food : Any type of grilled and spicy food
• Favourite Drink :Black Coffee, Mother Energy drink, hot mocha
• Favourite Leisure activity :Taking my dogs to the beach for a swim
• Primary Education : Lomawai Indian School (Sigatoka)
• Secondary Education: Cuvu College (Sigatoka)
• Tertiary Education : TPAF Namaka (Commercial Cookery)
I started working in the Café in August
2021 when it was just a space allocated
by the council. My husband and I
have made his café together. It took
us so many months but it is worth it.
What are your opening hours?
The cafe opens at 5am because
there are a lot of people travelling to
work that early. There aren’t any cafes
and restaurants opened at that
time.
Where are you located?
The Cafe is just beside the highway
so that makes it easier for anyone to
hop in for a quick take out, coffee and
sandwiches. Shop 3, Cuvu Market just
beside the Police Post.
How has opening the coffee benefitted
you?
There aren’t any coffee shops around
this area so having one in this area is
an advantage for the people of Cuvu
and for the travellers and passers by.
What is the Favourite?
My most favourite is grilled ¼ chicken
menu.
Who owns the Café?
It is co-owned bymy husband Vikesh
Kumar and I.
Do you have any help?
Yes there’s a girl working with me who
left Form 4 because her marks were
average, she then did vocation studies
and now she is working with me.
She is really hardworking girl and she
loves to work as chef.
Would you recommend this kind of
work to other women?
Yes I highly recommend this kind of
work because cooking isn’t just about
making food. It is about bringing out
the best in you from what you are
great at and making individuals fall in
love with food.
46 APRIL | MAY 2022 APRIL | MAY 2022 47
General
FOOD
Who has been your greatest motivation?
My mother has been the strongest
pillar in our family. She has a always
worked hard for me and my sisters
and took care of everything that we
needed . Looking at how hard she
works in the farm everyday has motivated
me today to work hard, to be
independent and successful in life. “
The strongest actions for a woman
is to love herself, be herself and shin
amongst those who never believed
she could.”
What is the most most challenging
thing you have faced?
Finance. During COVID I lost my job
as chef at the Shangri La. My husband
was the only one working and
that to short hours when we planned
to make this shop. We took the risk of
putting all the savings to make this
café during this pandemic
Inside Retro Cafe.
Photos Supplied.
What are some of your happy moments?
Seeing guests who come in and get
happy about something new that
is in the Cuvu area. The best thing
about running the café is doing what
I love to do and that is making good
coffee, drinking good coffee and
cooking with flavours I love
Do you think more women should be
in positions of leadership? Why?
Yes I do. Women and their strengths
have always been downplayed in
society for centuries now. It’s 2022
and its time to break barriers and rise
above the systemic biases, inequities
and social stereotypes.
What do you understand about this
year’s theme for International Women’s
Day which was “Break the bias:
Gender equality today for a more
sustainable tomorrow”?
I’m actually very happy with regards
to this year’s theme. Gender
inequality is an issue we as a society
have been combating since THE
LATE 1800’S! Isn’t that crazy? Its 2022
and we are still battling this problem.
I truly believe that if we, as a society,
together are able to break the gender
inequality and are able to give women
the status that they very well deserve
in society then I would consider
that as a win for humanity as it would
mean we are moving towards a more
sustainable future.
FOOD
Do you have any other comments?
I would love to take this opportunity
to show my heartfelt gratitude to my
husband (without whom this venture
would not have been even possible),
my family (for their love and support
in whichever way they can), friends
(for cheering me on) and our high
value customers who have started
this journey with us and in such a
short span of time we have been able
to accumulate so many loyal returnee
customers. Please do follow us on
facebook: @Retro Cafe and Instagram:
@retrocafe.cuvu Everyone’s
welcome! We’ll see you there!
What do you think are characteristics
of a good leader?
I believe a good leader must have effective
leadership skills and ultimately
they must have uncanny abilities to
bring out the best in others through
truly caring, having humility, and
leading through influence.
Cold beverages soldd at Retro Cafe. at the cafe. Muffins sold at the cafe. Photo : Instagram Delicious cakes at Cafe Photo : IG
48 APRIL | MAY 2022 I AM WOMAN 49
Having a pet
We human beings strive to be happy
in life. We get into relationships, we
buy nice things, we do fun activities
and attend interesting events – the
list is endless. But some of us have
pets and research shows that having
pets greatly increase the quality
of your life. Pets improves your emotional,
mental and physical health.
Faiza and Liston.
Trending
Photos Supplied.
It is a responsibility
Having a Pet
My life was simple until two years ago.
I live downstairs and my sister and her
son live upstairs. We live independent
lives. When I am in the mood of cooking,
I will cook. Otherwise I don’t have
dinner if I have a heavy lunch. Life was
easy and then Nakita came into my
life. One Saturday while raking outside,
my sister’s dogs were barking at
a small black and white kitten. I managed
to catch it and put it outside the
fence so the dogs wouldn’t kill it. But
this small fur ball kept on coming back
into our yard. That was how I unintentionally
adopted Nakita as my pet.
I had to give her a name. So I checked
and there was no sign of being a male
so I named her Nakita after my favourite
woman TV character. Because my
sister had dogs, Nakita immediately
became a house cat. The first night was
stressful as I had to look for food for Nakita.
I gave her milk which was the only
thing left in my fridge. She was happy.
As I settled down for the night with
a glass of wine and watching Netflix,
Nakita jumped on the couch to lie with
me. My life style was rapidly changing.
I now had a creature to look after.
by Lorraine Foster
Nakita chilling.
Routine life style
Photo : Lorraine Foster.
Every morning Nakita wakes up between
5.30am to 6.00am and in turn
wakes me up by running up and down
on top of me. She immediately expects
to be fed. This habit has proven useful as
I don’t oversleep and I have time to pray
and do my morning exercise. Sometimes
it is hard if one had a late night.
Pets have a regular feeding schedule
and having this consistent routine
keeps the animal calm and well-balanced
and also helps you to adopt
a consistent routine. Irrespective of
what mood you in, you must care for
your pet. If you are suffering from depression,
anxiety and stress, you must
put these feelings aside and ensure
that the daily needs of your pets are
catered for. This helps you cope with
any mental problem you might have.
Wednesday lazing around the porch.
Fussy pets
Trending
I am a “dog person” and I assumed
that cats were like dogs where they
ate any type of meat. Nakita is a
fussy eater. On the second day being
in her new home, she did not
want milk anymore but wanted to eat
what I ate. Eventually she only wanted
to eat Crest branded sausages.
She would not touch other brands.
She then went off the sausages and
now she eats chicken liver or chicken
mince but needs to be well cooked
and served to her warm. Every now
and then she likes to eat Pizza [Because
that is all I have in my fridge] and if we
have fish on Sundays, she has a piece.
Having a pet is a responsibility where
you need to regularly feed your pet
with healthy food. You must also ensure
that they have clean drinking
water in a clean bowl. Pets must
also be kept clean and bathing
your pet is recommended and putting
flea powder on them if needed.
For cats, if they are house cats, you
need to clean their litter box daily.
Photo Felix Colatanavanua
50 APRIL | MAY 2022 APRIL | MAY 2022 51
Trending
Trending
Bonding with public better
Becoming more affectionate
Research says that pets help you
bond with people who are also pet
owners. You have something in common
and friendships are formed.
People who don’t own pets also get
attracted to the pets and friendships
are also formed. It has been
known that pets have created intimate
relationships between people.
This theory does not apply to Nakita
unfortunately. She is not sociable. She
hides when I have people in the house
or just won’t warm up to anyone. She
follows me everywhere. I blame it on
COVID when there was no human
beings coming to my place. She only
relates to my sister and no one else.
Handling stress and
Challenges
When you are under pressure or facing
challenges, pets give you love during
these times of trouble. Caring and loving
your pets during bad times helps
make you stronger and resilient where
you build that emotional strength to
continue. In the last two years, my life
has had some very challenging moments
and Nakita has always been
by my side. She is always rubbing herself
against my legs and many times
she just stares at me with this weird
look and stays very close to me. She
doesn’t understand the crying sessions
but stays close to me to comfort
me. Surprisingly it helps me cope with
any challenges that comes my way.
Bently aka Purini.
Pets makes you active
Photos Supplied.
Pets need regular exercise and if they
are house pets, you must ensure that
you play with them or take them for
walks. For Nakita, she has her play
dates upstairs everyday where she
plays with my sister’s stray cat Sassy.
Every day after breakfast I take her
upstairs and she wonders around
the balcony and she is able to climb
up and down the Breadfruit tree but
keeps a safe distance from the dogs.
Doing exercise with your pets also encourage
you to do regular exercise.
There are some pets that are always
happy to see you like dogs. They give
you unconditional love and there is always
the wagging of the tail or rushing
out to greet you when you return
home. After a hard days work and being
greeted with love helps you relax
and in turn it helps you to return the
affection to your pets. When you have
a family especially children, most
family members tend to also enjoy the
pets, this affection spreads throughout
the family members and friends.
Caring for a pet also creates companionship
for those that are alone
and greatly reduces depression. Pets
make you feel needed and wanted
and takes the focus away from your
problems especially if you live alone.
Pets live for the moment and never
worry about yesterday or tomorrow.
This can help pet owners do the same
where you appreciate the present. This
greatly reduces stress and anxiety.
Baby Nakita Photos Supplied. Moody Nakita. Photo : Lorraine Foster. Sunday snoozing. Photo : Felix Colatanavanua
52 APRIL | MAY 2022 I AM WOMAN 53
Trending
Needs in owning a pet
Money is needed for food, veterinary
costs, licenses, toys, bedding, grooming
and other expenses. It is not cheap
to keep pets. You have to be fully
committed to owning a pet so that
the pet does not suffer unnecessarily.
Time and attention is needed to look
after your pet. There should be time
for exercise, time to feed them, time to
play with them and time to love them.
Pets also need attention and this creates
a bond between pets and owners.
Limitation on your social life can also
occur if you live alone. You are worried
of leaving your pet alone at home and
it is essential that you have a care taker
who is close to your pet so that when
you are away for short or long periods,
your pets are well cared for. There is no
disruption to the pets life and he/she
is able to cope with you being away.
Health risks of keeping pets can be
risky. Some members of your family
may have pet allergies and it is important
to know before committing
to having a pet. I never had pet cats
as I suffer from asthma but having
Nakita was not a worry. It seems that
stress and depression would trigger
my asthma and with Nakita around
me, it gave me stability and strength
to be calm during a mental disturbance.
I haven’t had an asthma attack
since Nakita has been with me.
Having a pet creates love and emotions
within you. There is no hurt in the
relationship, only joy and happiness.
I leave you with this quote “When the
world around me is going crazy and I
feel like I’m losing faith in humanity, I
just have to take one look at my pet to
know……GOOD STILL EXISTS.” – Pinterest.
Destruction and accidents do happen
with pets. For Nakita, she has scratched
furniture, curtains and other things at
home. I think this is because she is indoors
almost all the time. She does
not have this destructive habit anymore
as she goes outdoor everyday
upstairs for her play date with Sassy.
It has been known that pets have destroyed
home furniture and other
things. Normally this happens if your
pet is left in the house for long hours.
54 APRIL | MAY 2022
Mereani pictured with Wednesday.
Photo : Felix Colatanavanua.
FITNESS
Why Water Sports?
by Fay Volatabu
FITNESS
something out like swimming, your
body has to concentrate on many
different muscles all at the same time,
which can help boost your memory.
Swimming has also been shown that
it can promote the growth of new
brain cells where brain cells normally
break down. They will breakdown
naturally over time due to age and
stress, but with the help of fitness like
swimming, the cells can be instead
improved. This will definitely help to
keep your mind as young and active
as possible.
sion and improve your overall outlook
in life.
You can also find stress relief from
sports like diving and snorkel, where
moving under the water allows you to
really enjoy the peace and quiet that is
found within the ocean. The world will
slow down and your senses will be altering,
acting as a perfect kind of stress
relief.
Men kayaking, a man leisuring on a paddle board and a man diving into the waves.
Everyone is looking for ways to be
fit and as one gets older it is often a
question of what can help me keep fit
without the added burden of aches
and pains in all the very hard to reach
places.
If you are one of the many people who
mentally label yourself as fitness fanatics
but do not have the stamina
to do zumba or the patience to join
the local gym, then you are in luck as I
have the answer for you…Water Sports.
You might say but I can not run on
the beach, paddle and suntan to the
sounds of the Beach Boys or Shaggy’s
‘In the Summertime’ playing? Well the
good news is that even medical professionals
advise water sports as a
more reasonable form of getting fit for
the less active citizens.
Water sports help you burn calories
and increase your metabolism naturally.
They also increase your fluid intake
and appetite, which means you
do not binge eat. In short, water sports
keep you healthy, energised and immunity
on point.
Exercising in open water while being
out in the sun, breathing fresh air, offers
more than a full-body workout.
This also improves your mental health
by lifting your spirits, boosting your
mood, and calming your mind.
Positive Effects of Water Sports
On Your Body And Mind
i. Improving Mental Clarity
The first benefit that water sports can
have is that they can provide you with
better mental clarity. When you try
ii. Stress Relief
One of the biggest and most important
positive effects from water
sports is stress relief. On the outside,
you might just find that you feel more
energetic while you are doing the
sports, but on the inside if might be
that you have a drop in anxiety. It can
be the more gentle water sports like
swimming that will help build a tranquil
mindset, but it isn’t just swimming
that can reduce your risk of depres-
A woman meditating by the beach.
Photo: Google
Nasese Seawall.
iii. Bone Density
Photo : Felix Colatanavanua.
Looking at how the water sports can
benefit you on a physical level, the first
benefit we want to go over is the improvement
in bone density. As you age,
your bones will naturally lose calcium
and strength, become more brittle and
less strong as time goes on. This can be
exacerbated by some intense sports
like running on a treadmill.
Instead, water sports can improve
your overall bone density. Water helps
take the pressure off of your bones,
making it easier for your bones to improve
their density. Even water sports
that are not within the water, like paddling,
canoeing, and water biking, can
56 I AM WOMAN APRIL | MAY 2022 57
FITNESS
FITNESS
help with bone density. Likewise, these
sports can also help with arthritis for
the same reason. Arthritis is a joint
disease that has to do with swelling or
tenderness in the joints. Water sports
remove the pressure off of the joints,
especially large joints like your hips,
making it easier to move and ultimately
reducing the amount of swelling
that you are experiencing.
Individuals who have rheumatoid arthritis
are recommended hydrotherapy
for a reason. It is the preferred
treatment because the fluidity and
buoyancy of the water soothe the
ache in joints by naturally supporting
them. Simple water activities like
swimming and snorkelling help the
affected joints and lessen symptoms.
When you regularly workout, the bone
density increases, which is good for
the overall body. But normal modes
of exercises like running or walking
on the treadmill are not an option for
older people or women who have had
menopause.
For such people, who can’t do all kinds
of workout, water sports are an excellent
alternative. Paddling, canoeing
and water bikes are some of the
options. These can be performed by
anyone, and the exercise the body
gets out of them helps improve bone
density!
iv. Health Improvement
Beyond the physical body and mind,
there is also the benefit of the internal
body at play here. Water sports
can help improve the health of people
with chronic heart disease as well as
people with diabetes. Typically, people
who suffer from these conditions
require a lot of physical activities in
addition to dietary concerns in order
to maintain a level of good health.
Water sports are typically low-impact
cardio, so they will not put too much
pressure on your heart, which is ideal
for heart patients. You will still get
a workout in, but one that is gentle on
the heart and on the body, improving
your overall health and making you
feel good in the process.
A professional swimmer.
Photo : Google.
v. Lower Risk for Chronic Disease
Finally, water sports can help your body
by reducing the risk that you have for
developing a chronic disease. People
who live with chronic heart diseases
undergo massive lifestyle changes
to keep a healthy body. Water sports
can not only keep the body in fighting
shape but also lower stress. Even
merely floating in the water or a few
light exercises can decrease stress,
and keep the person relaxed, both of
which are good for the heart.
Water sports work every part of your
body, burning calories in a healthy
and productive way. As a result, your
metabolism will be a lot faster, burning
calories regularly, and staving off
any development of diseases. You will
also stay healthy and energized, improving
your immune system while
helping to boost your mental health. It
is a lot easier to look on the sunny side
of life, when you feel good.
Benefits of Watersports on
Mental Health
It is a known fact that all exercises are
good for the body and what’s good
for the body is good for mental health.
Water sports are the best kind of exercise.
Thus, it reduces anxiety, stress
and depression, which improves mental
health.
Something as simple as swimming is
known to enhance the mood in people.
Below are five key benefits watersports
can have on your mental health:
a. Water Sports improves Your Mood
Studies show that swimming can reduce
feelings of anger, confusion,
stress, and depression among both
men and women. Beyond swimming,
all watersports improve one’s mood
by releasing hormones called endorphins.
This is a natural secretion that
makes one feel happy. On the water,
you’ll feel an increased amount of focus,
energy, and you’ll be less stressed
about everyday life.
b. Relaxes the Mind
Whether you’re kayaking on the ocean,
canoeing on a lake, or spending time
observing marine life, these can calm
the mind for the time you’re on the
water. You’ll feel relaxed and peaceful
as you paddle and take in the beauty
of nature around you.
c. Regulates Your Mental Health
Practicing a water sport helps you let
go of stress. The activity forces you
to focus on what you are doing out
on the water. You’ll forget about your
demanding job as you experience
the soothing benefits of taking up an
aquatic sport.
58 APRIL | MAY 2022 I AM WOMAN 59
FITNESS
d. Creates a Sunny Disposition
Soaking up some sunshine improves
our mental health because it increases
the serotonin in our body. Which in
turn stabilizes our mood and feelings
of well-being and happiness. Exercising
in the sun not only boosts our temperament,
but it can also help people
who suffer from anxiety and depression.
Photos supplied by Felix Colatanavanua.
e. Increases Social Interaction
Many watersports are practiced in
groups, which provides a great way to
meet and socialize with other people.
Whether you’re kayaking with family
members, taking a sailing class, watersports
provide a way to connect
with people.
If you are one that is already involved
in water sports and have been feeling
guilty about spending so much time
out doing water sports, the time for
guilt is over. In fact, it is actually good
for your body and your mind to participate
in water sports.
If you are not sure where to start with
a water sport, look at what you have
locally. It might be wakeboarding or
SUP paddle boarding, but it could also
be swimming, rowing or snorkelling.
Felix knee boarding.
60 APRIL | MAY 2022
Photo : Felix Colatanavanua.
You might want to even try out a few
to see if you can work out which sport
would be the best for you. It is never
too late to try something new and improve
your overall health and outlook
on life. The results will definitely make
your entire work change for the better.
Dakuibeqa Village, Beqa
Photos supplied by Felix Colatanavanua.
CLIMATE CHANGE
THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT THE OCEAN
Climate Change is talked about
around the kava bowl, the corridors of
Parliament, in Parliament and at international
meetings and conferences.
There is money in it and most global
governments talk about it constantly.
We then have the advocates who
scream, jump and express their feelings
about this issue.
In Fiji, Climate Change adverse effects
are visible. Research has been done
and reports written. Government has
received millions in aid and representatives
are seen going to overseas
conferences in large groups. It is good
to see law changes and policies implemented
to minimise the destruction
of our environment. But are we
really creating adequate sustainable
national policies and awareness programs
for our vulnerable communities
in the maritime islands? Guy
McPherson sums up the attitude of
some stakeholders by his quote “If you
really think that the environment is
less important than the economy, try
holding your breath while you count
your money.”
As Pacific Island countries face adverse
effects in our ecosystems, there
are communities who are trying to
cope with climate impacts through
implementing sustainable development
goals for climate adaptation. It
is encouraging to meet young, smart
and enthusiastic women making an
effort to go out to our maritime islands
in Fiji and do research on climate
change and try to make a difference
from their findings.
by Lorraine Foster
I AM WOMAN Magazine found such a
woman.
Who is She
Her name is Susana Vulawalu and
she looks like a model. She is 25 years
old with maternal links in Nasau, Nabukelevu
Kadavu and paternal links in
Mabula, Cica, Lau. Her hobbies include
swimming and hanging out with family
and friends. Her favourite food and
beverage is lovo (food cooked in an
earth oven) and lemon juice. She loves
country music, the eighties music and
all Fijian music. Susana loves to play
detective and therefore murder mystery
movies are her favourite.
She is an ex- Jai Narayan College
Student and has done a degree and
postgraduate in Marine Science at
the University of the South Pacific. After
secondary school, Susana wanted
to pursue further studies at tertiary
level. When she went for enrolment
at the University of the South Pacific,
the queue of students were long but
she noticed a short line. So she decided
to join the short queue which was
Marine Science. She has never looked
back since and today she is passionate
about what she does.
Teaching Children about the ocean.
Photos : Supplied
Currently Susana is pursuing a Masters
in Marine Science at the University
of the South Pacific and was a
scholarship recipient under the Archipelagic
Island States programme by
UNDP 2021 at the University of Diponegoro
in Indonesia. Her oceanography
research is about the “Occurrence of
the Island wake phenomenon on Vitilevu,
Fiji.”
CLIMATE CHANGE
Her work experience background is
varied where she was an Intern at
USP and did waitressing at Dog Father
and Bad Dog. When she graduated
in 2019 with a Bachelor Degree in Science,
she did part-time teaching work
at the School of Marine Studies in USP
for three and a half years and taught
second and third year students Sedimentology,
Coral Ecology and Marine
Spatial Planning. Susana did some Research
Assistant and field work where
she supported and assisted in field
data collection of MScs and PHD candidates’
data from various sites under
various projects which included Blue
Carbon projects, Microplastics in invertebrates,
Microplastics in Fish, Macroplastic
Impact on Photosynthetic
activity of Symbiotic Zooxanthella on
corals to name a few.
“I enjoyed University a lot, the freedom
to choose your interests, research
topics, flexibility in schedules etc. I
was a scholarship student so I always
knew my goal wasn’t to just graduate,
my goal was to find my path after
graduation which could ideally give
me a stable way of life. The marine
62 APRIL | MAY 2022
APRIL | MAY 2022 63
CLIMATE CHANGE
field is small despite what everyone
tells us. It’s a small specialized field so
you better find your niche and find it
fast. I knew this and worked with that
in mind. I studied hard, I made myself
visible to lecturers and asked lots of
questions about paths and opportunities
in our field”
“My parents were teachers and told
us not become teachers as it was
a tough job with lots of headaches.
When our then Head of School Dr Stuart
Kininmonth gave me an assistant
teacher’s job through the recommendation
of a teaching assistant I thoroughly
enjoyed it. I joined Dr Amanda
Fords team in 2020 which was an all
girls teaching team. I had cool, young,
females all around me who supported,
challenged, and inspired me to
continue my studies. It was brilliant! I
felt like it kept my mind young, reading
and helping other researchers, learning
and teaching and discussing academics,
I never felt like I needed to do
“grown up” things until I was out at a
family soqo [Function].”
“Through my supervisors and coordinators
at USP, I connected with NGO’s
and other researchers who gave me
Susana inspecting the reef.
Photos: Supplied.
work and experience in other fields of
marine science work.”
Interest in Climate Change
“My interest came after reading and
looking for a research topic for my
Thesis. I was out doing fieldwork determined
not to do climate change
because everyone was doing climate
change but with research readings
and my work as research assistant in
various projects, I saw first hand the
impacts of climate change on communities
we visited. Impacts such as
degraded reefs, bleaching, frequent
cyclones and tidal flooding and saw
how much communities struggled after
each event I started to think about
my research.”
“My research looks at the local perception
of climate change and I compare
these perceptions to available climate
data and its consequential impact on
local fisheries. While there are a lot of
global policies being developed, local
policies are still very much lagging
behind. This study hopes to shed
Susana hard at work.
Photos : Supplied.
allow us to develop an understanding
of climate change experience at local
levels which can feed into developing
more grounded climate change adaptation
and mitigation strategies in
these communities.”
Her Thesis
Susana’s thesis is titled “A Comparative
study of Climate Change Perception
and Climate Data in Lau Islands,
Fiji.” The Thesis looks at Lau as a whole
and Susana is conducting her own
fieldwork in collaboration with Conservation
International who are the
facilitators of the Lau Seascape Initiative
in Lau. Interviews were conducted
across villages in Lau with a focus on
communities in Vanuabalavu, Matuku,
Lakeba, Ono-I-Lau on their perception
of climate change and its impact on
their marine ecosystems. Climate data
from the weather stations on these
maritime islands were collected as well
and used as comparison against their
perceptions. All the data has been collected
and Susana is now in the writing
process.
CLIMATE CHANGE
Susana says “Climate Change is a
global issue with impacts felt much
earlier and more severely in small island
communities like in Lau where I
conducted my studies. They also are
the least equipped to handle these
impacts. Perception is important because
how people perceive something
like climate change determines
the urgency and degree to which they
respond to the issue.”
“Local communities understand climate
change through the lenses of
local experience. I look at how they
perceive changes in cyclone intensity
and frequency, sea surface temperatures,
rainfall and how the people see
these changes impacting their fisheries.
Events like reef degradation from
storm surges during and after cyclones,
bleaching with increasing SST,
how they may find rainfall to affect
their ecosystems, what they prefer to
eat/fish and if they see any changes
with changes in climate.”
“It is important to understand and take
into account local perceptions to be
able to create relevant policies that
A flooded village in the Lau group. Photos Supplied.
Susana and colleagues
Photos : Supplied. more light on local experiences and
64 APRIL | MAY 2022 APRIL | MAY 2022 65
CLIMATE CHANGE
Susana educating community
Photos : Supplied.
helps the most helpless in this fight.”
“Unfortunately we who are the least
to contribute to this problem are the
most affected but we cannot have a
doom gloom mentally. We need everyone
with any avenue to spread
the word, speak up! Whether that be
through research or advocacy, Climate
Change is a global issue and it
requires a global response.”
“Climate change impacts don’t
change much across islands, you
now see cyclone impacts everywhere
like dying and degraded coral
reefs, waves reaching village playing
grounds, inundation, flooding etc.”
“Climate change is a global issue,
the solution and actions that affect
us at a grand scale must come from
the North but that shouldn’t give us a
doom gloom mentality. We can act at
a local level, fishing smart to allow for
a healthy food chain, preserving ecologically
important species like parrotfish-
important sand producers, Ta
which are important herbivores fish,
sea cucumbers.”
“Reducing burning on land, reducing
the use of fertilizers that eventually
run to the sea and causes increased
growth rates of macro algae leading
to eutrophication of waters, with no
herbivores fish due to overfishing, ecosystems
shifts happen, reefs struggle
to grow, fish have no habitats and the
cycle continues. This is just a very simple
example of relationship and dynamics
in a marine ecosystem. Local
actions can go a long way to reducing
the impacts of climate change.
Protect your reefs, replant your mangroves,
stop eating your turtles, your
sea cucumbers, fish smarter, be more
respectful to your resources and you
will see how much it can provide for
you. It is a living ecosystem.”
Susana educating youth.
Photos : Supplied.
Advise to Young People Who Are looking
for a Career
“Studies may not be for everyone, but I
strongly recommend it because when
you study you narrow out your interests
– what you’re good at, what you’re
not, what you’d like to try. It’s a tool to
help you navigate life. A huge part of it
is free, use it!”
“To allow yourself to be uncertain for
a bit understanding that it is part of
the process of figuring things out. My
path didn’t come to me, I had to find it
by reading and talking to people, asking
for help and advice. Whether it be
studying or working, you need a plan.
Give yourself time to breath, get a book
and write down a plan. Anything, to
start from is better than doing nothing
about anything.”
Opinion on Social Media
“An amazing tool for spreading a message,
networks that you can tailor according
to your background and interest.
When used right it can be great
but like everything else in life the dose
makes the poison.”
Opinion on Domestic Violence in Fiji
“Domestic violence is one of my biggest
fears in a relationship. It was one of the
CLIMATE CHANGE
very first things I spoke about with my
partner. It important for young adults
to discuss boundaries, fears, what individuals
may consider a “violent act”.
It can be very different for everybody.”
Climate Change must be taken seriously
and all stakeholders must talk,
discuss, research and critically put effective
sustainable plans into action.
We must act now. Our mode of living
must change so we can leave behind
a habitable planet for our future generations.
We leave you with this quote
– “We do not inherit the earth from our
ancestors. We borrow it from our children.”
– Native American Proverb.
We thank young women like Susana
for their research work and we hope
that their findings can be elevated to
the next level which is actually reading
their reports and creating sustainable
plans for adaptation to climate
change. We cheer Susana on for her
quest in creating an awareness in climate
change and add to her voice by
talking about the effects of climate
change and offering solutions.
Susana. Photos by Felix Colatanavanua. Susana getting ready to dive. Photos : Supplied.
66 APRIL | MAY 2022 I AM WOMAN 67
Leisure
MASSAGING – BEAUTY OR HEALTH
by Lorraine Foster
Leisure
History of Massaging
3000 BCE or earlier - The history of
massaging can be traced back to India
where it was regarded as natural
healing. This practice was handed
down through generations to heal injuries,
relieve pain and cure illnesses. It
was said that massaging restored the
body’s natural and physical balance
so that the body could heal naturally.
Ancient Greek Massage
5th Century BCE - Hippocrates was a
Greek physician of the classical period
and is considered as one of the most
outstanding figures in medicine. The
father of medicine treated physical injuries
with a combination of massage,
proper diets, exercise, fresh air and
music to restore health imbalance.
Hippocrates examining a child
by Robert Thom
Ancient Chinese Massage
2500 BCE - Egypt added their own
bodywork techniques to massage
therapy where there was a concentration
on specific points on the
feet and hands to effect healing.
Ancient Japanese Massage
Between 800 and 700 BCE - the
Greeks and Romans used massage
therapy for athletes before competition
where their bodies were applied
with herbs and oils when massaging.
It loosened the muscles and relieved
body pain to prepare the athletes
to train and compete. Today
most sports have their own masseur.
68 APRIL | MAY 2022
2700 BCE – China then invented
new massage techniques through
a combination of skills and practises
of traditional Chinese medicine,
martial arts and the spiritual yoga
training of Buddhists and Taoists.
Ancient Egyption Massage
1000 BCE - Japan invented their own
way of massage techniques where
the human organs were regulated
and strengthened by rebalancing
energy levels through stimulation
of pressure points in a hope of
bringing natural resistance to illness.
Ancient Roman Massage
Ancient Massage Board
17th Century - There was a decline of
massage therapy until the 17th Century
when modern medical technology
was discovered but in the early
1800s, Sweden introduced massage
therapy to their gymnastic athletes
and again the benefits of this
wellness technique evolved again.
1st Century - massage therapy was
used on emperors as people became
more aware of the benefits of massage
therapy. The public in turn would
frequent the spa baths for treatment
and full-body massage to stimulate
circulation and loosen their joints.
Ambroise Paré caring for a patient - James Bertrand
In the 20th and 21st Centuries - There was a demand for masseurs and the
physiotherapists helped massage therapy become a legitimate and respectable
form of medicine. Between 1970 and 2000, massage therapy experienced
a transformation, as people were taking a more holistic approach
to health care, pain management and restoring and maintaining
healthy bodies. It is interesting to see massage therapy is now an essential
part of the beauty services industry. Today most three to five star hotels
around the world offer massage therapy services. There are also educational
beauty academies that teach massage/masseur therapy. It is a popular
service that is becoming one of the fastest growing industry in beauty.
APRIL | MAY 2022 69
Leisure
Massage in Fiji
Fiji is noted for two types of massages
that have been handed down from
generation to generation. There is the
soothing “bobo” massage and the
deep-tissue barefoot massage.
The bobo massage enhances total
wellbeing with hand techniques combining
long strokes, kneading and
palm over palm motions. There is not
much written history about its origin
but most Fijian masseurs have their
own unique methods to treat sprained
ankles, sore backs and other bodily
physical pains. I have fond memories
of my grand-mother massaging my
sister and I, when we were young. She
had surprisingly strong hands and she
would massage us with Fijian oil if we
had a stomach or back ache.
The deep-tissue massage is the use of
feet to release tension and increase
circulation, mobility and flexibility. The
masseuses will not stand directly on
the back of the person but will have
one foot on the ground or holding onto
an overhead support beam or rope.
In various areas around Fiji, they have
their own unique massage techniques.
Most of us in Fiji have been massaged
and it is highly recommended that
everyone from babies to children to
adults to our ageing citizens get massaged.
It is not only good for the body
but also good for the soul.
Professional Individual Masseurs
Today you are able to hire a professional
masseur to give you a massage
in the privacy of your own home. In
Suva, “Balabala Bobo” is a highly recommended
mobile wellness service
in Suva that does manual massage
therapy. Owned by Raewyn Cornish,
she combines massage therapy with
professional beauty services as well.
Her official face book page is called
Balabala Bobo and pricing, types of
services and other information is on
the page. Contact her.
There are many other professional individual
masseurs and one must take
caution if you have a serious muscle
or joint injury. It is advisable to see a
qualified physio therapist.
Rainforest Massage Fiji Photos www.fiji.travel Pure Fiji Day Spa Photos Pure Fiji
70 APRIL | MAY 2022
Fijian Foot Message
Photo www.thumbtack.com
Relaxing massage
Leisure
Photos www.travelonline.com
Professional Massage and Spa
Services
In Fiji, there are professional masseur
services for specific areas of the body.
A popular masseur in Suva for feet is
Happy Foot Fiji that is based in Sports
City, Suva. They offer full body treatment,
foot reflexology, Head, Neck and
Back Massage.
Pure Fiji Spa Is another frequented
professional venue that offers various
massage and beauty treatments.
The Spa Therapists are trained specifically
by an International Trainer and
they have a venue that is adequately
equipped for the services they provide.
They also provide their own infused
therapeutic oils and ointments.
Most three to five star Hotels around
the world including Fiji offer massage,
beauty and spa services as a package.
Massage therapy is becoming a
big business for the health and beauty
industry and is here to stay as more
and more people take advantage of
its benefits.
If you google Fiji Massage you will be
amazed at the variety of massage,
spa and beauty therapy being offered.
I AM WOMAN 71
Leisure
Spa Academy Fiji
Debra Sadranu opened Fiji’s first Beauty
Academy in 1998. The Academy offers
a wide range of training in beauty,
spa and massage therapy. The Academy
offers unique beauty services to
transit passengers and daily tours for
a spa tourism experience. This service
allows the students to do on the job
training with direct exposure to working
in a spa tourism environment.
The Academy boasts that many graduates
who have migrated to New Zealand
and Australia, where they now
work in the Beauty Industry.
I noticed that after speaking to many
women who have had massage therapy
on a regular basis, there is calmness
in their behaviour and I would
also want that.
I leave you with a quote that best describes
what massage does to you –
“Touch the body, Heal the mind, Calm
the spirit.”
Outdoor Spa
72 APRIL | MAY 2022
Photo: InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa
MUSINGS
The Call Center Experience
I walked through the doors on the 13th
of January 2022, with no clue or expectations
of how a Call Centre Agency
operated. I was a small person who
rolled with a different passion but had
the will to explore other fields due to
personal reasons. To be honest, I came
across the vacancy advertised on a
Social Media Platform and thought
why not? This couldn’t be difficult, we
would just be dialling. “Piece of cake”
would be the best phrase to describe
my thoughts at that time but boy was
I wrong! I’m always a champion of
earning an honest living regardless
of the job description but sometimes
pride gets the best of our judgement
and we become hypocritical to our
Assumptions and Expectations vs Experience and Reality
own beliefs and when it came to this
decision I was ‘schooled’. Being a writer
and always convincing myself that
a white collar job was more preferable,
I failed to realize that, wherever life
takes you, there is always something
you can do and succeed at.
I entered with preconceived ideas and
the minute I hit the production floor my
views changed. Anyone who’s close to
me, knows that I’m very observant. So I
entered the floor and quietly observed
everyone I made acquaintances with.
It was just the first day of training and
my mind was already about to explode
with all the information acquired. I remember
returning home and telling
my family “I feel like I just
by Atelaite Senibua
sat through a Law lecture with the
amount of theory we did in today’s
session.” Days went by and I began
to learn that it was so much more to
just “sit and dial.” We had to know our
products, make accurate calculations,
have an advanced knowledge
of systems and the most crucial one:
master the skills of building a healthy
relationship with your customers so
you can convince them to engage
with the services you’re offering them.
I love how team work and commitment
is exemplified within the campaigns.
That it’s not just “every man for
himself” but rather “team work makes
the dream work” & “we are small but
mighty” as always emphasized by our
team leaders. I love the smell of coffee
and the sound of “come join us for tea”
when you enter the breakout room. I
love the hype of shouting “good job
team” with cheers when an agent
makes a sale or the “iko na yalewa”
(you’re the girl) jokes when you trot by
a group of cheery people. Most importantly,
I love that despite the brokenness,
the loneliness, the confusion
that happens behind closed doors,
we know that our campaign is Family
and being in each other’s company,
cracking jokes while dialing is remedy
we so desperately need.
MUSINGS
more about commitment, dedication,
teamwork, loyalty and the importance
of family.
There is light, love and passion in these
four walls and I’m sure that everyone
who has been nurtured and groomed
here knows that. I’m glad that in the
span of time of my being here, I can
definitely assure others who would
think otherwise “that this is more than
just a call centre.”
Call Center in Fiji.
Photos : Atelaite
What I love most about this place is
that at the end of the day, it’s just ONE
BIG FAMILY working to build a Home,
regardless of the fact that we all come
from different walks of life, with different
stories to our name. My experience
here has allowed me to learn
74 APRIL | MAY 2022
I AM WOMAN 75
Walka out
b
Women parliamentarians with Speaker of Fiji parliament.
As I walked around Suva and as I
spoke to various individuals, I could
sense the deep sense of frustration
and anxiety that many women felt.
It is that time again when we are reminded
of our civic duty to get registered
and to prepare to vote for our
next government.
TO TICK OR NOT TO TICK: The value of a woman’s vote
Source : Fiji Government.
vote for a party that has women candidates
or Do I vote for a party that
will have policies to support women.
Even before we make any serious
decisions, the need for painkillers and
a counsellor is real and mind you, you
have not even stepped outside of
your home yet to action any of your
so called decisions.
by Fay Volatabu
rations. This document was then localized
into the Plans of Actions of the
various Pacific nations and we in Fiji
had our Women’s Platform of Action.
The first document was written for
the period 1998 to 2008. The next one
was for the period 2010-2019. Lately I
have been hearing whispers of another
plan of Action being prepared.
This is a good sign for us women and
it gives us comfort that our issues are
important to the nation. However, If it
is not written by the time you are expected
to put your tick then you need
to consider what needs to be included
in that Plan of Action.
You need to ask of the various candidates
whether they are going to ensure
that the minimum standards for
women are met.
Walka out
Knowing your worth
As women we need to know why my
tick is beneficial and where will it be
best utilised? We need to ask questions
of those who demand of our
time and court us for our votes.
1. Will they ensure that the political
party they represent has more then
30% women in their total line up of
candidates ?
2. Will they have women as leaders
of their party and government if
they are successful?
3. Will they ensure that at least 30%
of leaders in all organizations are
women?
b
However before we even get to the
polls there are any issues that specifically
plague us as women in our
country. First there is the issue of
registration. Which card do I use and
which name do I use to register if I am
a single woman, and which name do I
use to register if I am a married woman.
Do I use my father’s name or do I
use my husband’s name. Interesting
concept that is, in this day and age,
that my right to vote either way, is being
determined by a man.
Anyway if that is not enough to deal
with, you are then plundered with
questions like Who do I vote for? Do
I vote specifically for a woman, Do I
Things to Consider
While you are pondering over these
basic issues of which name to use,
another issue that will be niggling
you also will be, what are things that I
should consider whilst deciding who
to vote for. We need to ensure that
our vote really helps in deciding a
government that will serve us well
and as women, we need to ensure
that we are thinking of issues that
affect us.
Many documents have been written
in the past like the Pacific Plan of Action
which was a localized Pacific version
of the Beijing Platform of Action
to reflect the Pacific women’s aspi-
Workshop with women parliamentarians.
Photo : FWRM
76 APRIL | MAY 2022 I AM WOMAN 77
Walka out
4. Will they push for more women to
serve as CEO’s in organizations and
statutory boards?
5. Will they ensure that health facilities
and maternity hospitals are
better equipped?
6. Will they ensure that they stop the
violence that continues to exist in
homes and in organizations?
7. Will they have more opportunities
and scholarships given to women in
all fields of education and in all professions?
b
There are many more questions that
you can think of but what is important
for you and I as women, is to consider
what Mahatma Ghandhi had said
and that is “Be the change that you
wish to see in the world”
We need to contribute to a better democracy
and understand where our
tick will be most beneficial and where
it deserves to go and to use it to vote
for more women?
I agree with Michelle Bachelet, Head
of UN Women, former president and
defence minister’s statement.
“For me a better democracy is a democracy
where women do not only
have the right to vote and to elect,
but to be elected.”
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Woman casting her vote.
Photos : Fiji Elections Office
132 700 bula@bsplife.com.fj
www.bsplife.com.fj
78 APRIL | MAY 2022
FOLLOW US ON
SME
Women business owners are on the
rise globally and in Fiji small businesses
owned by women are following the
same trend. We also have prominent
big sized businesses owned by women
in Fiji like Dr. Mere Samisoni the owner
of Hot Bread Kitchen and Ms. Gaetane
Austin the owner of Pure Fiji.
Women in business ownership help
women have a flexible daily schedule
where family can be taken care
of and work can be done as well. The
women are in charge of their career
and there is improved livelihoods and
poverty reduction.
In the Pacific, UN Research shows that
women owned businesses are in the
Inama Thread Works
informal sector where the lack of organisation,
management, quality
orientation, and access to markets
jeopardize their capacity to grow and
develop their businesses. But we do
have organizations like Womens Enterprise
Business Council [WEBC] that
facilitate the need for women owners
to participate in the formal markets
and be successful business owners.
Give women a chance and there will
be progress. Our story is about a progressive
woman in business in Fiji.
Gayani with her crafts
Photos : Supplied.
by Lorraine Foster
Inama ThreadHand Bags.
Photos Supplied.
SME
Who is She
Her name is Gayani Herath and she
amazed me with her enthusiasm for
progress. She has three children who
are in primary school. Her husband
works in the IT industry and she has
a Bachelor of Commerce Special Degree
and has partially completed
her Chartered Accountancy Curriculum.
She has just completed a Diploma
in Sewing from Singer Academy
and is always looking out for innovative
learnings that can help her in her
business.
Her hobbies include watching Hindi
Movies, trying new cooking recipes,
dressmaking for children and
sight-seeing through travelling. Her
favourite food is Pizza, Biryani and Aloo
Bonda and her favourite beverage is
Ice Tea. She loves classical Hindi Songs
and her favourite movies are on real
life stories like autobiographies.
She was an Accountant in an insurance
company but decided to leave
work to dedicate her time to her
young family as she wanted to ensure
that the three children had a mother
to look after them through childhood
and during their schooling.
80 APRIL | MAY 2022
APRIL | MAY 2022 81
SME
Starting of The Business
Inama Thread Works
SME
In 2019, Gayani decided to start up her
small business called Inama Thread
Works. She used Social Media to advertise
her small business and after
26 months, she now has a following of
11,000 and profile likes of 5.000.
Inama Thread Works specialises in
authentic handmade bags of all kinds.
There are wallets, varieties of pouches,
lap top bags, sleeve cases, clinic bags
and cosmetic bags to mention a few
of her lovely products.
Gayani says “Sewing has always
amused me. It is my hobby. I followed
several pieces of training and workshops
to fill the gap in my knowledge.
I tried a few products. I was looking for
the correct and right product to pitch.
Market research assisted me to find
the opportunities. It was a consultancy
service provided by my husband.”
“During COVID, I had some spare time
since the kids were at home and no
school work, no outdoor activities, no
training lessons/courses. I was determined
to use this new environment
to release my products. Yes it hit the
market. Luckily that time, I had some
nice tropical floral fabrics to reach my
ONLINE customers and win their hearts
and minds.”
The Inama products are designed by
Gayani herself and she also sews and
makes the products. Her whole family
assists her in her growing business.
Market and Product research is done
by her husband and her digital marketing
is done by her elder son Kinura
Herath and her husband. Quality Assurance
and finishing checks of her
products is done by her daughter who
is an expert and transport and logistics
is done by her husband. She has
a strong family unit that assists her
business in every way.
Gayani advertises her products digitally
mainly through social media and
uses Face Book, Instagram, Twitter
and You Tube. Future plans is to use
WhatsApp Business Platform and optimise
it. She is also a member at the
ROC Markets and she is now a familiar
face and her stall is popular because
of her excellent colourful products.
Like other businesses, there are always
challenges and Issues that Gayani currently
faces with her business. There is
the difficulty in buying the correct and
required accessories to complete her
handmade products but she makes
do with what is available. High quality
and economical fabrics are also
a challenge for her. But if you have a
look at Inama Threads products, you
would never guess the issues she has
as her finished products are quality
made.
Gayani and her designs.
Advise to Young People Who Are
Looking for Careers
Below are Gayani’s pointers to looking
for a Career:
- Identify your values, skills and what
you want it for
- The most important thing to have is
the “passion”
- Recognise the niche market, do
market research, produce the right
product for your customer. Focus
on your customer
- Make the best product and keep
your good faith
- Do not rely on Government or the
private sector to give you a job.
Photos Supplied.
Trust in yourself and you can give
jobs to others once you have grown
up
- Always wake up early, complete
your daily tasks and maintain your
good health
Today, visionary women in businesses
like Gayani will continue to grow
steadily and in the future will be one of
Fiji’s main contributor to the economy.
We leave you with this quote that best
describes Giyani – “You are never too
small to make a difference.” – Greta
Thunberg.
82 APRIL | MAY 2022
More amazing designs by Gayani.
Photos Supplied.
I AM WOMAN 83
HEALTH
This sounds like a cliché but with the
dreaded corona virus lurking in the
corners one can not be too careful.
We are now enjoying the freedom of
walking around without mask, staying
up late and enjoying life without
curfews and restrictions but I hate to
dampen the mood but the last time I
heard, we are not rid of the Corona virus
yet. So.. as we enjoy life it would be
good to exercise caution and equip
ourselves with a bit of knowledge. You
can never have enough knowledge.
Second Wave.
What is the Second Wave?
The second wave of COVID-19 and the
virus is said to be more infectious than
it was previously. In the past two years,
most people infected with coronavirus
showed three major symptoms- a
high temperature, a new, continuous
cough, and a loss or change to one’s
sense of smell or taste. But the emergence
of the new mutant variants have
led to a drastic shift. Apart from these
three typical signs, patients witnessed
several other signs of COVID-19, which
made it a little complex to identify the
infection at an early stage.
PREVENTION IS BETTER THEN CURE!
With the virus changing its form rapidly
and with new variants being discovered,
newer and unusual symptoms
are being noticed in recently infected
patients. It is therefore important for
us to be aware of the newest symptoms
of COVID-19 and to be able to
identify them, take timely treatment
and avoid complications.
Symptoms
In case of Omicron, people usually feel
cold. Apart from that, they may witness
two or three other symptoms like:
runny nose, headache, sneezing, sore
throat, persistent cough, fever, loss of
taste and smell.
“Shortness of breath or difficulty in
breathing (dyspnea), is one of the
early symptoms of coronavirus, predominantly
seen in infected patients
during the second wave of COVID-19.
Although the intensity of breathlessness
can vary among individuals, this
symptom leaves most patients with
a feeling of tightness of the chest, resulting
in the constant gasping of air,
every few seconds. Studies suggest
that breathing difficulties are commonly
seen in the second wave of
COVID-19 patients, right at the onset
of the infection. The infection causes a
decrease in oxygen saturation (SpO2
levels) which may result in lung damage
and in some cases, even multiple
organ failure.
Apart from these, there are some other
signs that are not typically associated
with the respiratory system and
may often go unnoticed.
Other newer symptoms of the second
by Fay Volatabu
wave of COVID-19 infection, that you
must be aware of include the following.
1. Gastrointestinal tract infections:
Your GI tract comprises the main
organs of digestion, including the
mouth, food pipe, stomach/gut, small
and large intestine. Any disturbances
in your GI system can wear down your
immunity and hamper overall health.
Symptoms of GI tract infections associated
with COVID-19 include loss
of hunger, vomiting, abdominal pain,
and loose stools.
2. Hearing loss: Hearing loss is one of
the symptoms in the second wave
of COVID-19 infection. It may range
from mild, moderate to severe which
results in a sudden hearing loss, impaired
hearing, or ringing sound in
your ears (tinnitus). This starts early
in the first week of infection and resolves
over a period of time.
3. Extreme lethargy and weakness:
Extreme weakness and lethargy have
been reported as one of the early
symptoms of the COVID-19 infection,
more so during the second wave.
Once your body identifies the
COVID-19 virus (SARS-CoV-2) as an
invader, it initiates the immune response
to fight the virus, and this can
result in the infected person feeling
tired and weak.
4. Pink eye or conjunctivitis: Pink eye
is an infection of the eye which results
in the swelling of the outer transpar-
Safety precautions.
HEALTH
Photos Supplied.
ent membrane (called the conjunctiva)
of your eyelid and eyeball.
Common symptoms include itching,
redness, and tearing of the eyes,
which results in puffy or watery eyes.
Certain studies have explored the
link between COVID-19 and ophthalmological
(relating to the eye) symptoms.
The COVID-19 virus is primarily
transmitted through infected droplets
in the air when someone sneezes,
speaks or coughs. You can also pick
the virus from infected surfaces and
then touch your eyes, nose, or mouth,
increasing the probability of infections
of the eye, along with the nose
and mouth.
The new strains of the novel coronavirus
(in India) are known to infect the
conjunctiva. Unlike normal conjunctivitis,
which usually affects both your
eyes, conjunctivitis with COVID-19
is seen predominantly in one eye. It
may be accompanied by constant
eye irritation and sensitivity to light.
84 APRIL | MAY 2022 APRIL | MAY 2022 85
HEALTH
5. Dry mouth or not enough saliva:
Saliva is the watery, frothy substance
produced in your mouth that helps in
digestion and keeps your teeth and
mouth moist and healthy. When sufficient
saliva is not produced by the
concerned glands (salivary glands), it
leads to a condition called dry mouth,
which can lead to tooth and gum diseases
and make you susceptible to
infections. Dry mouth is now a common
and initial symptom of COVID-19.
Since the oral cavity (mouth) is a potential
entry point for the novel coronavirus,
it can attack the tissues and
mucus lining your oral cavity, resulting
in decreased saliva production
and thus, dry mouth. Like the dry
mouth, other oral manifestations of
the coronavirus infection could be
a dry tongue, changes in the colour
and texture of your tongue, sores or
blisters, and difficulty in eating.
6. Diarrhoea: Diarrhoea or loose watery
stools is one of the widespread
symptoms seen in COVID-19 patients
during the second wave. Reports
suggest most individuals affected
with COVID-19 complained of persistent
diarrhoea for 1 to 14 days, with
an average duration of 5 days. Since
diarrhoea is not usually thought to
be a symptom of COVID-19 and can
be a result of other digestive issues,
there is a delay in getting tested for
COVID-19 and hence, a delay in the
identification of potential COVID-19
positive patients.
7. Headache: Sudden headaches can
be a symptom of COVID-19. A normal
headache that continues for a long
time and does not subside with painkillers,
is being reported as one of the
newer symptoms seen during the
second COVID-19 wave.
8. Skin rashes: Recent studies have
highlighted skin rashes as a new
symptom of COVID-19. Patients have
reported rashes on their hands and
feet, which are usually called acral
rashes. Studies suggest that these
rashes can develop as a result of the
immunological response to the virus.
9. Unexplained fatigue: Many people
who tested positive for COVID-19 have
reported feeling tired and fatigued
prior to developing any other symptoms.
In fact, in some cases, people
don’t have any other symptoms other
than feeling fatigue and tired.
If you develop any of the above
symptoms, do not panic!
It is advisable to isolate yourself from
other family members and get yourself
checked for COVID-19, after consulting
your doctor. Additionally, if you
have difficulty in breathing, tightness
in the chest or chest pain, pale or
blue-coloured skin, a sudden loss of
speech or movement, or new confusion,
seek medical care immediately.
This new COVID could last for three
months, six months or even nine
months.
Safety precaution.
Photos Supplied.
A question we often ask during this
time is why is the Corona virus spiking
in certain areas or at certain times
and what can we do about it?
COVID WAVES : What causes a
spike in coronavirus cases?
So far during the pandemic, several
factors have had an impact on
whether new COVID-19 cases are increasing
or declining in particular
locations. These factors include the
effectiveness of vaccines over time,
human behavior, infection prevention
policies, changes to the coronavirus
itself, and the number of people who
are vulnerable because they have not
developed some immunity, whether
from natural infection or through vaccination.
For instance, a large spike in U.S.
COVID-19 cases occurred over the
winter months of 2020–21 when people
traveled and gathered for the winter
holidays. The arrival of FDA-authorized
vaccines in December 2020 helped
bring new infection levels back down
in many areas through the spring of
2021.
86 APRIL | MAY 2022
HEALTH
Another surge began in July 2021 as
the contagious delta variant began
to circulate and eventually become
dominant. Waning immunity and relaxation
of public policies and infection
prevention measures also played
a role.
Following COVID-19 precautions, such
as getting vaccinated for the coronavirus,
practicing physical distancing,
hand-washing and mask-wearing,
helps to keep viral transmission lower.
It has been observed that cases tend
to rise in areas where:
Fewer people are vaccinated, which
means a large number of people are
vulnerable to infection.
Fewer people are wearing masks.
More people are gathering indoors
to eat, drink, celebrate and socialize
without physical distancing.
Also, places where people live or work
closely together (multigenerational
households, long-term-care facilities,
prisons and some types of businesses)
tend to see more spread of the
coronavirus.
I AM WOMAN 87
HEALTH
Treatments
There is still no understanding of the
virus so treatments are not confirmed
However Prevention is still the best
way to deal with COVID. Here’s what
you can do for now:
• Get vaccinated for COVID-19. Learn
more about the safety and effectiveness
of the COVID-19 vaccines.
• Continue to practice COVID-19
precautions, such as physical
distancing, hand-washing and
mask-wearing, especially in indoor,
public places.
COVID 19 Vaccination.
• Check the CDC’s COVID-19 transmission
map, and stay in touch with
local health authorities, who can
provide information if COVID-19
cases begin to increase in your city
or town.
• Make sure your household maintains
two weeks’ worth of food, prescription
medicines and supplies.
• Work with your doctor to ensure
that everyone in your household,
including children, is up to date on
vaccines.
•
It is therefore important that you are
aware of the most recent COVID-19
symptoms to recognize them, receive
prompt care, and prevent complications.
SOURCE:
Desai, Shikka Heath tips, www.timesofindia.com
COVID-19 Medanta Medica team www.mendata.org
Alexander, Dr Ajay
Diaz, Dr Janet
88 APRIL | MAY 2022
Washing Hands with soap & water.
People practicing Social distancing.
Fijian Sunset off Beqa Island
Photos supplied by Felix Colatanavanua.
EST WE FORGET
Susana Evening
Susana Evening pictured with Mother Theresa.
Photo Supplied : Lorraine Evening
In this issue, the Lest We Forget column
focuses on a woman who was
stalwart not only in the Catholic Faith
but also in the Women’s movement as
well as in the indigenous communities.
She was a friend to many yet despite
her position in life she was a mother
to many and a friend to many more
We share the tributes and personal
memories of two of Mrs Susana
Evenings dear friends. We thank the
Archbishop Peter Chong as well as
academic Dr Adi Eci Nabalarua for
allowing us to share their personal
memories of Mrs Susana Evening.
TRIBUTE TO SUSANA EVENING
By Archbishop Peter Chong
The Archdiocese of Suva and Catholic
Women’s League has lost a ‘duru
vesi’ (pillar made from vesi tree).
She is an iconic figure and stalwart
of Catholic Women’s League
as well as the Catholic Church in Fiji.
Originally from Nukuni in Ono-I-Lau
Mrs. Evening was born into a staunch
Methodist family but converted to
the catholic faith when she married
her late husband Mr. William Evening.
Susana passed away on Sunday
April 11 aged 79.
The passing of Mrs. Evening has left
a big vacuum in the Archdiocese of
Suva and the Fiji Catholic Women’s
League. The Fiji Catholic Times records
her commitment and passion for
the mission of the Catholic Women’s
League and the Church: “For many
people the Catholic Women’s League
EST WE FORGET
is Susana and Susan personal memories
of Mrs Susana Evening in this column
is the Catholic Women’s League”.
Her involvement with the church has
seen her travel around the world and
meeting powerful and inspirational
people. In 1979 she met Mother Teresa
on a flight bound for a conference
in Bangalore, India. She also met and
was blessed by the Pope John Paul II.
Mrs. Evening was a recipient of the
Medal of the Order of Fiji and the
Fiji 50th Anniversary of Independence
commemorative medal for
her service to Fiji and its people.
The President of the Fiji Catholic
Women’s League, Oripa Liwaiono
stated that Susana was a faithful
and dedicated servant, she had
a vision for empowering women.
“She was there when the Catholic
Women’s League was established
back in 1960’s and it has been part of
her life for more than four decades.”
“She was a great helper, very talented,
she loved her work in raising funds
for formation of Catholic priests in Fiji.”
Susana has a great sense of humor.
She can play the clown. She has a
number of funny stories that make
people laugh. If you’re looking for an
icebreaker, Susan is the go-to person.
In the recent Catholic Women’s League
Strategic Planning Workshop, Susana
found it a little difficult to make the
paradigm shift into their new Mission
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EST WE FORGET
Statement: “The Fiji Catholic Women’s
League promotes the dignity of women
through spiritual formation, consultation,
advocacy and education.”
She found it hard to let go of one her
passions – the annual soli for the seminarians’
tuition.” Old habits die hard.
The annual Catholic Women’s soli is
where Susan is at her best – dancing,
singing, cheering, and making
everyone joyful. Her favorite song
has to be “SUSI – MATAI NI GAUNA”.
She likes to sing the song solo because
it’s about a girl called Susi.
On Saturday evening the women enjoyed
grog and some wine. Susana
came to facilitators’ table and
told us that we were doing a fine job,
then came the hook – ‘can you get
some more wine’. Next morning, I told
Su that I can perform the Cana Miracle
if the wine runs short tonight.
As we rounded off the workshop,
Susana was dancing around with
a ketekete (basket) on her back.
Must be some wine in the ketekete.
Susana danced her way to heaven.
Welcome to real joy of heavenly paradise
Su-where wine does not run out.
On behalf of the Archdiocese of Suva
I convey our sincere condolence
and prayers to the Evening Family.
TRIBUTE TO A DEAR FRIEND
By Dr Adi Eci Kikau Nabalarua
When the call came on Monday morning
the 11th of April, and Lorraine asked to
speak to Eleni first and then to me later, I
knew immediately that something was
amiss. It had to be my dearest friend.
Okay Susana, you left without saying
goodbye. I noticed that in your last
trip to Bau with me to Nadamele two
weeks back, you were quieter than
usual and seemed to enjoy your long
sleep and waking up refreshed in the
mornings. You seemed to be deep
in thought and this time spoke only
when spoken to, yet you seemed to be
reminiscing alot about the Bau of old.
When I asked if all was fine, you said to
me “I’m okay”. The news of your passing
and the manner in which you departed
as it was relayed to me, gave
me a deep sense of comfort, because
I was told you were decked out
in your Sunday best, on Palm Sunday.
You went gracefully and definitely
found your peace with our creator God.
You will be sorely missed by your dearly
loved ones and the wider family that
you came to embrace, especially the
vanua o Naduruvesi and the church
for which you gave so freely and so
tirelessly of yourself. Also by the Women’s
league, the SSV (Soqosoqo Vakamarama),
NCWF(National Council of
Women Fiji), YWCA (Young Women’s
Christian Association) and the countless
groups that will miss your insightful
presence. The women and families
of all the communities you worked
with, will fondly remember Aunty Su or
Nana Su, for your house was a hub of
kindness, warmth, love and open to all.
You were so generous in spirit, kind
hearted, humble, selfless, people
centered, a great advocate
of justice and equality, democracy
and a fearless woman of God.
I looked on you as a close friend, the sister
I never had and a mentor and such
was our closeness I got to know all the
family trees and the connections, because
you made it a point that I should
appreciate all of this. I got to know all
the funerals of all the Catholic Fathers
which you attended from Ra to Namosi,
through to Ba, Sigatoka, Nausori,
Korovou, Natovi, Bua, Savusavu and
Labasa. In the same vein you always
tried not to miss the ordination of the
new priests at their respective stations.
Where possible you made it your
business to also attend the funerals
of league members who had passed
on and unless you were busy elsewhere,
you were always with me at
all my family functions, weddings,
birthdays and funerals included.
The last we spoke I was still in Bau for
a funeral a fortnight ago, and you had
told me that you were going to have a
full body massage, a facial and a manicure,
so that you would look your best
for the upcoming Catholic Women’s
League AGM, held at St Joseph’s Secondary
School. I told you I was happy
for you, and that you should enjoy the
EST WE FORGET
meeting and most importantly rest well.
Your deep sense of loyalty, trust and
commitment to women’s issues was
a beacon of light for those of us following
in your footsteps. Our friendship
was recognized and appreciated
by many, across all walks of life, and
I am immensely proud and grateful
to have been a part of your journey.
I shall miss you dearly but will not
mourn your passing, for your story is a
celebration of your life in all its wholeness
and entirety. You have taught
me so much, and I will remember to
pass on this legacy to our daughters.
Moce mada Susana Evening and rest
well in the arms of our heavenly father.
Vinaka vakalevu na yalo savu,
na loloma kei na veiwekani vinaka.
Eci
Susana Evening at a CWL meeting.
Photos Supplied : Lorraine Evening
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