School Assistance for Lau Group

The Lodge of Fiji presented $20,000 worth of assistance for nine (9) schools in Lau at the Suva Bargain Centre at 122 Waimanu Road, Suva  on Monday 4^th January, 2021 at 11am.

The presentation comprising school uniforms, school sandals, school supplies and drinking bottles (donated by Suva Bargain Centre) were handed over to representatives of the schools and some students who will benefit from this assistance. The schools were selected with the help of the Eastern Divisional Education Office representative, Mr. Suliasi Vuli.

A total of 284 children will benefit from the assistance at the following schools in Lau:

• Four (4) on Matuku Island – Ratu Mocevakaca Memorial, Delaiverata District School, Babasea Primary and Qalikarua District school.
• Two (2) on Totoya Island – Totoya District School and Navesi Primary school.
• One (1) on Vatoa Island – Vatoa District School
• One (1) Doi Island (off Onolevu Island) – Doi Village
• One (1) Onolevu (Ono-i-Lau) – Onolevu District School

This assistance was initially scheduled to be delivered in early 2020, immediately after Tropical Cyclone Harold hit in February. But soon after that, the pandemic surfaced in March and resulted in the rolling closure of schools across the country (by both the virus and TC Harold). This continued into June and July, until deliberations with the Senior Education Officer for Lau, concluded with the decision that the assistance would be held over till the 2021 school year.

With the recent devastation caused by Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasa, the Lodge of Fiji is also planning a similar relief project for schools in the North, that have been affected.

Education has always been the main focus of assistance by the Lodge of Fiji which provided in excess of $50,000 worth similar supplies to over 700 primary school children in Koro and Vanuabalavu following Tropical Cyclone Winston in 2016.

The Lodge of Fiji will continue to help in this important sector into the future.