FIJI

VOLUNTEER ASSIGNMENT DESCRIPTION

Community Youth Empowerment Project

Country: (Post Name)

Program: Community Youth Empowerment Project

Job Title: Community Youth Empowerment Volunteer

Dates of Service: November 2, 2017 November 2, 2019*

Staging Date: August 29 - 30, 2017*

Pre-Service Training
(in Fiji): September 1, 2017 November 4, 2017*

*dates subject to change

AA 164= 4450 BR
This document is intended to give an overview of the project you are invited to work on in the
Peace Corps. For more detailed information about Fiji and living there, please read the
Welcome Book via the link included with your invitation and check out the related Web sites
referenced in the welcome book.

For further information about serving as a Community Youth Empowerment Facilitator in Fiji,
call the Country Desk Officer for Fiji at Peace Corps headquarters in Washington, D.C., (9AM to
5PM, EST):

Toll-free: 1-855-855-1961, press 1, then extension 2519;

or directly at (202) 692-2519
or via email at Fiji@peacecorps.gov

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Peace Corps Fiji
A NOTE FROM THE PROGRAM MANAGER
Bula and Namaste!

Congratulations on your invitation to serve in Fiji. If you choose to accept this invitation, you
will have taken the first step towards becoming a Peace Corps Volunteer in a truly amazing
place.

Considering the majority (57%) of Fijis population are under the age of 30, youth and young
adults represent a critical mass of Fijis current and future population, and ultimately its success
and growth as a nation. As a result, Peace Corps/Fiji has joined with the Ministry of Youth,
Ministry of Education, and Ministry of Health and Medical Services to implement and improve
programs that ensure the Fijian youth have the capacity and opportunities to live and develop
healthy and productive lives and avoid potential risks and challenges they may face, such as
unwanted pregnancy, unemployment, drug and alcohol use, and suicide. You will be a part of
the Peace Corps effort to assist and support local communities, schools, and community-based
organizations with this important effort.

We, the staff of Peace Corps Fiji, look forward to working with you and supporting you as you
face the day to day challenges of living and working in a different culture in a very different
place. Our local partners are looking forward to your arrival and the potential positive impact
that this project can have on the health of the people of Fiji.

Ms. Alumita Bera Josefa Ceinaturaga, JC

Program Manager Program Manager

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Peace Corps Fiji
PEACE CORPS FIJI HISTORY
Peace Corps has had a long and highly successful history of service in Fiji. The first Volunteers
arrived in 1968, two years before Fijis independence from Great Britain. The majority of the
Volunteers who served in the first 30 years were in the education sector, although many served
in agriculture, small business, and health.

The program was temporarily closed in 1998 but, at the request of the Government of Fiji,
reopened in 2003. Two projects were developed prior to the opening, focusing on health
promotion and the environment. The environment project also addressed the need for
community-level income generation in an environmentally friendly and sustainable way.

In 2012 Peace Corps/Fiji decided to direct its resources into the health sector to assist the
Government of Fiji in reducing the incidence of non-communicable diseases. This has been
declared a crisis in the Pacific and Peace Corps is responding. The environment project closed in
2013.

In 2014, Peace Corps/Fiji reviewed its project framework and identified youth and children as
major beneficiaries of Peace Corps activities. Peace Corps/Fiji began to see children and youth
as part of the population where the program could really have an impact. As a result, Peace
Corps/Fiji has developed the Community Youth Empowerment Project (CYEP). Overall, CYEP
focuses on behavior change promotion and capacity building activities to empower youth in
and out of school to live more healthy lives, make healthy decisions, and gain access to
programs that support positive youth development. CYEP also includes activities targeted to
build the capacity of parents and youth service providers to enhance their skills and knowledge
in promoting positive youth development. To ensure continuity, many of the thematic areas we
will work in will remain the same however some of the methodology will be adapted for
working with different audiences.

YOUR PRIMARY DUTIES

Community Youth Empowerment Project (CYEP) project purpose: Youth in Fiji will have
improved emotional, physical, and mental health and social outcomes, as well as opportunities
to positively impact their communities, through increased access to effective health education,
life skills, and youth development programs.

This is accomplished through the project's three goals:

1. Youth will develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to reach their full potential and
lead healthier, productive lifestyles.

2. Youth will engage in activities that support the positive development of peers and
their communities.

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Peace Corps Fiji
 3. Service providers, parents and other community leaders will demonstrate increased
capacity to support youth in leading healthy lives in their communities

The primary government partners for CYEP are the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Ministry of
Education, and Ministry of Health and Medical Services. Peace Corps Fiji will also collaborate
and work with youth-focused local NGOs and other key stakeholders throughout CYEP planning
and implementation.

Volunteers collaborate with local partners to enhance their skills and knowledge in promoting
positive youth development. A key aspect of Volunteer work is to increase parents and
community members knowledge of youth health and development as the first step in
promoting healthy behaviors.

Please note, Volunteers are seen as role models in their communities and Peace Corps/Fiji
expects Volunteers to take this role seriously. One of our partners, the Ministry of Health, is
actively working on an anti-smoking campaign. Volunteers are expected to model healthy
behavior and refrain from smoking. In addition, due to Volunteers role with youth, positive role
modeling is critical.

Each cadre of PC Fiji Volunteers will serve for two years as a Community Youth Empowerment
Volunteers (CYEV) in a specific community site. As a CYEV, many Volunteers will be assigned to
work with youth in both schools/training centers and communities. This approach ensures that
youth can access development programs and activities in a variety of settings, where life skills
learned in school can be reinforced and applied in community settings, and vice versa.
Additionally, community-based programs can provide much needed services to out of school
youth. CYEVs will work directly with youth as well as with parents, principals, teachers, Peer
Educators, Youth Officers, and other youth service providers to enhance their capacity to
promote positive youth development. Each Volunteer will have a primary assignment with the
MOE, MOHMS, MOYS, or a non-governmental organization. However, as part of their
assignment, Volunteers are expected to also work and collaborate with the other Ministries
programs and staff operating within or near their sites, as well as other community
stakeholders. Most will be Volunteers assigned to schools as their primary assignment often
in remote settings. They will be expected to work on a part time basis at the school (e.g., 3
days/week) so that other time can be spent conducting community-based youth development
work outside of the school. Some Volunteers will work in urban settings at Ministry
Headquarters or Divisional Offices.

CYEVs work scope can include, but is not limited to, the following:

1. Coordinate and teach Healthy Living and/or Family Life Education curriculum in
school/training center settings.

2. Build the capacity of teachers to effectively deliver PMAC, Healthy Living and/or Family
Life Education curriculum through training and co-teaching,

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Peace Corps Fiji
 3. Develop and implement youth development programs and extracurricular activities for
students.

4. In collaboration with Youth Officers and Peer Educators, coordinate, implement, and/or
facilitate youth life skills programs (e.g., Stepping Stones; Seeds for Success) in training
centers and community settings.

5. Support the creation and/or enhancement of village youth groups to carry out youth
and community development activities.

6. Coordinate and facilitate classes, trainings, and/or workshops to increase the capacity of
parents, care givers, and services providers to promote healthy lifestyles with youth.

Your youth development work will depend upon the needs of youth in your community.
Volunteers will be placed in a variety of work sites. You most likely will be placed in a rural or
township setting and working with a primary or secondary school along with other
professionals (e.g., nurses, youth officers, coaches, etc.), programs, and organizations working
with youth. Depending on your background and country needs, you may be assigned to an
office in an urban setting working with highly trained professionals.

One of the exciting parts of your professional work is to participate in the Peace Corps
monitoring and evaluation (M&E) process. All Volunteers receive training on the Peace Corps
M&E tracking and reporting system. Each Volunteer regularly reports M&E information and
this information is summarized to describe overall progress of the project. This important M&E
system helps Peace Corps improve its programming and report its accomplishments. The
opportunity to learn and practice professional monitoring and evaluation skills are some of the
many valued benefits of Peace Corps service.

With the site assignments come a variety of housing possibilities. Urban Volunteers may be
given houses or flats with 24 hour electricity, indoor piped water, and, indoor toilets that might
resemble a home in the USA. Rural-based Volunteers may be given a thatched roof house with
bamboo walls, with little or no electricity and/or internet access. Your kitchen, toilet, and
shower may be separate from your sleeping house. If you are assigned to an urban or semi-
urban site, you will probably be sharing a dwelling with one or two other PCVs. You must be
prepared for a whole variety of conditions, so keep your expectations to a minimum, while
being mentally prepared for just about anything.

Within schools and communities, Volunteers will likely encounter workers who understand
English, but have very different work habits from their own. Your success depends on your
ability to act as a professional on the job. This will require an effort on your part to develop
culturally appropriate relationships and build trust in order to gain acceptance. Adapting to
your new surroundings and at the same time instilling interest, excitement and desire for
accomplishments among your counterparts is what is needed to get the job done. Volunteers
will benefit from demonstrating flexibility and patience both during their Pre-Service Training as
well as throughout their service.

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Peace Corps Fiji
Peace Corps/Fiji places great priority on learning how to work within the community and with
local organizations (schools, youth groups, youth training centers, etc.) in engaging the people
of Fiji to come up with ideas for work activities on their own, not choosing projects for them.
The overarching goal of the CYEP project is to assist the youth of Fiji to improve their wellbeing,
physical and mental health, as well as accomplish their life goals through increased health
knowledge, effective behavior change strategies, and life skills development. Just think
capacity-building and skills tranfer to service providers and community members with a focus
on youth and you will begin to get a sense of your mission. This will be done formally and
informally, and may happen in situations where you least expect it. Often bringing a
perspective of critical thinking can be beneficial. Peace Corps Fiji staff will get you started with
some language skills, a basic understanding of the cultures, and, key technical skills that will be
universal to the project. Most of what happens next will be between you and your
counterparts.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR SECONDARY/ COMMUNITY PROJECTS

In addition to your primary assignment, you may find time after your normal working hours and
fulfilling the expectations of your supervisor to work on activities that may align with the
project objectives. Secondary activities are activities that do not fall under the project
framework. For example, library or literacy activities may constitute a positive secondary
activity. We encourage secondary activities especially when they complement the project plan
and other Peace Corps initiatives. During training, we will be discussing appropriate activities
and their context within a broader definition of development work.

WORKING CONDITIONS
Available Resources

Identifying and using existing local resources is important to ensure sustainable activities. Some
schools or offices may have basic equipmentsome even have computers. On the whole,
though, offices are sparsely furnished. For village placements, Volunteers will have to make do
with even fewer technology resources. Many Volunteers opt to bring their own laptop.
Volunteers should be aware that the heat and humidity can bear a toll on equipment, and also
may want to seriously consider insuring any valuables they bring with them. Peace Corps is not
responsible for personal belongings.

Location of Job

Most Volunteers will work in rural or townships areas, mainly at schools and at the community
level. Other Volunteers will be placed in an urban or semi-urban setting working with a Ministry
partner or NGO. All Volunteers will be working directly with at least one of our ministry
partners or a local NGO

Working Hours

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Peace Corps Fiji
Peace Corps is a 24-hour-a-day / 7-day-a-week job. Volunteers placed in a government office or
organization will work the normal hours of their counterparts, and will also be expected to
conduct other activities at night and on weekends with community members. Please
understand that you are expected to report to that office every day (Mon-Fri) just like any other
employee and need to schedule any work outside of the office with your supervisor. Volunteers
will work a full day based on the standards of the office setting with which they are placed,
usually from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. weekdays. Volunteers who work in rural communities and
with the schools, training centres , or other organizations may have a more flexible schedule,
but are likewise expected to adhere to the schedule as agreed with local counterparts and
supervisors, such as the school principal or district youth officer. The CYEP project is designed
to allow for school-based PCVs to work at school on a part-time basis (e.g., 3 days a week,
mornings only, or other agreed upon schedule) with the intention of allowing time for out of
school/community-based activities. Again, it is expected that Volunteers develop a work plan
and schedule in collaboration with their supervisor and counterparts.

Involvement in community/cross-cultural activities is important and is linked to all three of

Peace Corps goals. It is up to you plan accordingly to ensure that you meet work requirements
and have time after work and on weekends to engage in other (community/intercultural)
activities.

Cultural Attitudes and Customs in the Workplace

Fiji has a complex and rich cultural heritage that affects all aspects of life and work. Indigenous
and Indo-Fijians have specific cultural norms and values that are unique to their respective
communities, as well as values shared by all Fijians. One cultural value that may surprise you is
that in many of the Pacific Island cultures, people are considered to be youth until they turn
35 or get married. This can present a challenge to young, single American Volunteers who want
to be treated as equals and are earnest about contributing their skills.

The Role of Women

Female Volunteers will probably face the greatest challenges adapting to the culture and
understanding the roles of women in Fiji. Though women are able to hold positions of authority
and responsibility in Fiji, it is not as common as in the United States. Gender roles are strongly
defined.

Women generally have traditional responsibilities that center on the home, although they also
have tremendous influence in villages and are often the backbone of community development
efforts. Female Volunteers may face initial difficulties finding acceptance and credibility at
work. They also may face limitations in engaging in certain social activities than their male PCV
counterparts. It will be incumbent upon female Volunteers to understand this reality and to
work nonetheless to earn the trust and respect of their counterparts and community.

Married Couples

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Peace Corps Fiji
Married couples have a defined place in Fijian society; therefore they may find it easier than
single Volunteers to integrate into their communities. As mentioned above, however, the
challenges that women face can be very stressful on a married couple, as men are typically
viewed as the decision-maker in a family and women are in much more traditional roles.

Work Habits

Concepts of time, authority, and achievement are culturally determined, and Americans may
find the Fijian work ethic quite different from their own. Fijian colleagues who come late or
who dont show up to a meeting may be a source of frustration for achievement-oriented
Volunteers. A successful Volunteer will have to come to understand these cultural differences,
and at the same time develop constructive ways to be effective. Additionally, government
agencies and schools often have high turnover. This turnover can present another challenge for
PCVs at their work place, where staffing and leadership can change on a yearly basis or even
more frequently, and PCVs may not have consistent supervisor or reliable counterpart.

Religion

Christianity has been an integral part of indigenous Fijian culture since Christian missionaries
first arrived in Fiji over 150 years ago. The majority of indigenous Fijians are Methodist. Other
major religions include: the Assemblies of God, Anglican, Apostolic, Church of Christ, Seventh
Day Adventist, Presbyterian and Catholic. Fiji also has a substantial Indo-Fijian population that
are primarily Hindu with a small percentage of Muslims. Wherever you are assigned within Fiji,
you are strongly encouraged to seek to understand and respect the important place that
religion holds in the lives of Fijians. Volunteers who show respect for local beliefs will be
rewarded with acceptance into the homes and lives of the members of their new community.
Many Volunteers find that church services and events are also social gatherings and optimal
times for integration and socialization. (Note: we are pointing this out as a cultural reality and
are in no way promoting a particular religious belief.) If you feel that you cannot participate in
some of these activities if called upon or would not be comfortable living or working in such an
environment, you should give this issue serious consideration before accepting an invitation to
serve in Fiji.

Privacy

In general, Americans may find it frustrating when attempting to find the amount of privacy
they are used to in the States. Within the Fijian context, being left alone is the equivalent of
being rejected or an outcast of society. Hence, a Fijian generally does not like to be alone, nor
will they readily understand an Americans need for privacy. An open door is an invitation for
people to come in, while a closed door is considered rude. During training we will discuss
culturally accepted strategies for finding some time for yourself.

Diversity in Fiji

Fiji is a diverse and multi-ethnic society, with indigenous Fijians and Indo-Fijians comprising the
majority of the population. Tensions between these two groups occasionally flare up around
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Peace Corps Fiji
issues of land and politics, and each group has developed widely held stereotypes about the
other. The growing Chinese population in Fiji has also begun to receive some negative
attention.

However, recent campaigns and political comments have aimed at tolerance and a unified Fiji.
Peace Corps/Fiji strives to place Volunteers in all types of communities and emphasizes serving
those in the most need.

It is likely that as an US Volunteer in Fiji, particular as a person of color, you will encounter
some form of racial discrimination. In general, Fijians may assume that all Americans are white,
European in origin. Volunteers with multi-ethnic backgrounds may be greeted with
uncertainties regarding where they are from. For instance, upon initial entry to Fiji or to their
respective sites, some African-Americans may be mistaken for a Pacific Islander and perhaps
treated differently than a person of Caucasian background. They may face doubt they are
really from the United States and also be called the N-word. Similar experiences may also
happen for Latinos and those with an Indian background, who might be mistaken for Indo-
Fijian. Asian Americans may be seen as merchants and laborers due to the number of Asian
people working throughout Fiji, and likewise may be called offensive names. Such interactions
most likely come from a place of genuine misunderstanding and ignorance based on
stereotypes and images portrayed through media and entertainment, but are nonetheless
difficult and emotionally challenging to face and manage.

Fiji is, in many respects, socially conservative by U.S. standards, and homosexual acts have only
recently being taken off the crime list. Because of this, many expatriates who are gay, lesbian
and bisexual have not been able to be fully open about their sexuality. Since this is still a very
sensitive topic for some people, it will be important for you to develop relationships and trust
with your community members as you consider opening up about your sexuality, especially if
you are placed in a village or small town. The Peace Corps staff maintains a supportive
atmosphere for all Volunteers and addresses gay, lesbian and bisexual Volunteers concerns in a
sensitive manner. This issue should be given serious consideration before accepting an
invitation to serve in Fiji.

It is important to understand that Volunteer experiences will vary from site to site and
Volunteer to Volunteer. The Peace Corps program in Fiji is fully committed to providing a safe,
supportive work environment that values diversity. We look forward to hosting Volunteers who
are striving to make positive contributions to the work of their counterparts and the Fijian
society.

Dress Code

To be respected in Fiji as a professional, Volunteers must be neat and clean in appearance. A

well-groomed, modest appearance is expected both during and after work hours. Slacks and
collared shirts for men and loose fitting calf-length (i.e. below the knees) dresses or skirts for
women with blouses that cover the shoulders are the common attire at work. A good measure
in terms of length is if a skirt or dress covers your knees when sitting cross-legged, then its
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Peace Corps Fiji
length would be appropriate. While pants are seldom worn by professional women at work,
this may occur more often in urban settings. For example, in Suva, the capital city, office attire
for women generally includes pants. Women should be prepared to not wear tank tops with
thin straps in their communities. Appropriate exercise attire for women includes a short-
sleeved shirt and exercise pants/capris that are at least knee-length. In rural communities, it
may be most appropriate to wear a sarong or sulu overtop the exercise pants/capris. As you live
and work in your community you may notice that the way you dress will directly affect how
people perceive you as a professional and will influence your acceptance into the community.
Visible tattoos that are obscene or offensive and body piercings other than ears are considered
inappropriate and may influence your acceptance and effectiveness as a Volunteer. Volunteers
should plan on covering tattoos. Modest nose piercings (e.g. studs) are acceptable for women
and are common among the Indo-Fijian population. Volunteers should not wear a nose
piercing in the shape of a ring, as they will be asked to remove it. Upon arrival in Fiji, Trainees
with visible offensive tattoos or non-ear piercings will be asked to cover or remove as
appropriate.

TRAINING FOR YOUR JOB

Peace Corps/Fiji requires that all Trainees successfully complete an intensive 10 week Pre-
Service Training (PST) in which essential language (Fijian or Hindi), cross-cultural, health and
safety, and technical skills are taught. PST training is conducted by a team of experienced Fijian,
Indo-Fijian and American staff.

This training is divided into two separate phases. The first phase is 9 weeks long and if
successful, will culminate in an official swearing-in as a Peace Corps Volunteer. At that time you
will go to your site for on-the-job training and orientation. After two or three months you will
return for Phase II that will focus primarily on the technical aspects of your assignment.

The PST is designed to build on the skills that trainees bring with them. As adult learners,
trainees will be responsible for directing much of their learning with guidance and support from
the training staff. Training will take place in a rural community setting in which trainees can
experience everyday life, practice their language and other skills and adapt to living and
working in Fiji. Trainees will live with host families in typical dwellings, eat traditional food and
interact in a variety of ways in the day-to-day lives of their host families and their communities.

Married couples may live apart during part or all of Pre-Service Training. This is to ensure
thorough language and technical training on an individual basis. Upon completion of PST,
married couples will live in the same community but not necessarily work with the same agency
for their two years of Peace Corps service.

Technical orientation for Volunteers will include an introduction to the education and health
system in Fiji, life skills, awareness of health issuesand mitigation strategies, sexual and
reproductive health, and environmental education and awareness. Your training will also
include behavior change strategies and approaches, as well as classroom management and
facilitation skills. An important aspect of your technical orientation will include demonstrating
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Peace Corps Fiji
the ability to conduct effective health education/lifeskills activites for youth in English and Fijian
in classroom and community-based settings.

LIVING CONDITIONS
Your living accommodations are intended to be simple and comparable to that of your
counterparts and neighbors. As in any country, housing in Fiji varies from place to place in
architecture and amenities. Houses may be constructed of thatch (known as bures), wood
siding, concrete block or corrugated iron. Many Volunteers will live in small villages of clustered
houses surrounded by small tropical gardens and farms or on government compounds. Other
Volunteers may live in an urban or semi-urban setting. In some cases, Volunteers may share
accommodations with another Peace Corps Volunteer and/or with another international
volunteer. Volunteers may be required to live with a host family for the first few months at
their site.

Some villages have piped running water; some homes are set up to collect rainwater from the
roof or shallow wells, while other houses only have water for a few hours each day. Freshwater
can be scarce during some times of the year.

Traditional houses usually have separate kitchen and toilet facilities. Most cities have 24 hour
electricity while some of the more rural communities have power for only a few hours at night,
or sometimes not at all. Likewise, it may be challenging to get a reliable internet connection in
some remote villages. A few of these rural communities have access to solar power or diesel
generators. Most often community members in the villages use kerosene lamps. Some
Volunteers may be placed on outer islands and/or interior villages where transportation is by
small plane, boat and/or pickup truck. Resources on outer islands will be very limited. Most
Volunteers travel much of the time on foot, by bus or boat at their sites.

Most, if not all, Volunteers will need to travel by boat during their service, and Peace Corps/Fiji
requests only Volunteers who are comfortable both in and on the water. Peace Corps/Fiji will
provide all Volunteers with a personal floatation device (PFD) for the duration of service. If you
have any apprehension about being on the water, please consider declining this invitation.
During training, there will be a water safety session. During this session, Peace Corps will
determine if there are Peace Corps Trainees (PCTs) who are not comfortable in the water.
There is a high potential that those PCTs will not be sworn in as Peace Corps Volunteers.

Many of our sites will have access to a public telephone that can be used for communication,
but there is a growing dependence on mobile cell phone networks. Volunteers may be placed at
a site that has limited cell coverage where a signal can only be found at a high point outside of
the village. The distance to a local post office will vary from site to site, and mail service may be
unreliable. Internet service is available in the major towns on the two main islands, though it
can be costly and slow. This is gradually improving. Usually a village health clinic is located
within walking distance of your site but it can only provide very basic medical diagnosis and
treatment. The Peace Corps Medical Officers can be reached 24 hours a day. There are
hospitals, doctors and dental facilities in and around Suva, as well as other major towns. For
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Peace Corps Fiji
serious medical conditions, Volunteers will be evacuated to a medical facility that is of a similar
standard to a hospital in the US.

The medical evacuation destination may be in Australia, New Zealand or the US.

POTENTIAL CHALLENGES & REWARDS

Please reference the Welcome Book for more detailed information regarding diversity and
cross-cultural issues, and safety and security in the Peace Corps.

While the vision of a tropical island in the South Pacific may capture your imagination, romantic
notions of this lifestyle may quickly wear thin as you deal with the heat and humidity that
descends on Fiji during 6-8 months of the year. Other challenges include the occasional
hurricane, the incessant ants, rats, cockroaches and mosquitoes that you will likely encounter,
the island fever or coconut wireless that can arise from living in a relatively small community
where everyone knows what everyone else is doing, and the seemingly laissez-faire attitude
that some people exhibit towards work and change. The island lifestyle, tropical climate,
isolation and lack of work-related resources and materials call for an individual who possesses
the good health, stamina, self-reliance, flexibility and positive attitude required to overcome
the numerous challenges that await you. You will need to adapt to a pace of life that, though
not unique to the Pacific, may be quite different from what you are accustomed to in the U.S.

Some individuals are surprised by the fact that, when joining Peace Corps, they become subject
to the norms of the local agencies, as well as those of Peace Corps. As a Volunteer of a host
agency or institution, your professionalism will be counted on in order to respect policies your
supervisors have established for their staff. Although you may be given a high degree of
responsibility and independence in your work, perhaps more than in any other job you have
had or will ever experience, you may find yourself in situations that require an ability to
motivate yourself and your counterparts with little guidance from supervisors. You may also
work for months without seeing any visible impact or without receiving any feedback on your
work. This is often the nature of development work. Its a slow process and often results are
only seen after the combined efforts of several generations of Volunteers.

You must possess self-confidence, patience, and maturity in order to continue working toward
long-term goals without the reassurance of seeing immediate results. Often results could be as
small as community children starting to regularly brush their teeth, wash their hands or helping
people integrate exercise and good nutritional habits into their daily routine.

It is beneficial to understand the far reaching and long term effects of every conversation and
every chance the Volunteer takes to encourage and promote healthy lifestyle choices.

Peace Corps has a highly successful history in Fiji, and our current Volunteers are making great
strides as partners in the promotion of wellness. When citizens of Fiji interact with Peace Corps
Volunteers and staff, impressions of America are formed. Your ability to serve as a competent
professional and a tactful ambassador will affect both the image of Peace Corps as an agency
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Peace Corps Fiji
and of Americans in general. This is a significant responsibility for all Volunteers worldwide and
will become part of Peace Corps/Fijis continuing legacy.

The goodwill and hospitality of the Fijian people, the richness of their culture, the beauty of the
environment and the challenges offered by your work can make your life as a Volunteer
exciting and rewarding.

Peace Corps service requires dedication, a can-do attitude, a sense of mission and
commitment, and perhaps most importantly, a sense of humor. Keep in mind that by choosing
to Volunteer you have agreed to work as a development facilitator for 24 months of service.
This is a serious commitment not to be entered into lightly. Serving with Peace Corps will be an
emotionally exhausting and demanding experience. However, for the committed individual, the
rewards will far outweigh the challenges, as it is a unique opportunity for personal growth and
fulfillment.

COMMENTS FROM VOLUNTEERS

Ni sa bula vinaka, Namaste, and hello from Fiji! First and foremost, congratulations on
accepting the invitation of a lifetime. By accepting your invitation to Fiji, you have chosen to
leave everything you know, travel thousands of miles around the world, and serve amongst
some of the happiest people in the world. Kudos to you. Now if your experience has been the
same as some of ours, when yopu told your friends and family where you are going to serve,
they told how lucky you were and how easy your life would be, right? To some extent this is
true, but Fiji is a complex country with its own culture and established lifestyle. Most people
when they think of Fiji they think of white sandy beaches, beautiful reefs to explore, and
decadent resorts. Instead of this, picture villages hidden in luscious green scenery nowhere
near the beach. Imagine people and families, living their life day to day; laughing, loving,
cooking, and contributing to their community. Imagine a rich culture connected to a long,
beautiful history. Let this guide your mind to the place you are about to call home. Now with a
rich culture and history comes an unawareness and apprehension that at times may be hard to
deal with because we cannot upset the balance, especially volunteers of color, women, and
LGBTQ status. Since the media is the main point of access for Fijians to get a glimpse of
American lifestyle, stereotypes may be the only thing the locals now of you and your culture.
You have the chance, however, to introduce a new perspective to your community or village,
whether that be in your school, village, or town. You have the chance to use your difference
to help out an underrepresented group in your community. For men, this may come in the form
of doing your own dishes, washing your laundry, or simple speaking to someone in your village
no one talks to. For women this may manifest itself when you support a womens group in your
village, when you change the way men view women, or just by living your life as a confident and
empowered woman. For volunteers of color and those volunteers who identify as LGBTQ, the
burden is heavier. You may hear village members use the demeaning version of your group
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name as the narrative for your life or your groups life. It will hurt, even with preparation it
catches you off guard in the moment. When this happens, no matter how you choose to cope
and deal with the issue, Peace Corps staff are there to support you along with fellow
volunteers. This may sound like a lot, and trust it is hard on a hot day when you just want to lay
on the floor and pray for breeze, but it is a rewarding experience that you will hold dear to your
heart forever. So once again, congratulations on the opportunity of a lifetime and we look
forward to meeting you. Moce!!

Montrell Sanders
Community Youth Empowerment Volunteer
Peace Corps Fiji Group 92

Ni sa bula vinaka and congratulations on your recent invitation to serve as a Peace Corps
Volunteer in the beautiful country of Fiji! You are about to become a member of the small, but
wonderful Peace Corps Fiji family and we are so excited to welcome you to your new home! I
want to commend you on your decision to leave behind all of the familiar trappings of your
American life and voyage out into a foreign land and culture to serve others and empower the
lives of youth on the other side of the globe. I guarantee that if you chose this path you will be
amazed at how much you grow in your ability to overcome challenges, to work with others, to
be flexible and resilient and to adjust to Fiji time. You will hear it again and again, but this truly
is the hardest job youll ever love! Something that my husband and I have noticed about our
Peace Corps experience so far is that, yes, it is hard, but hard in ways that we did not
necessarily expect. Typically when joining Peace Corps, people expect to face difficulties in their
living environmentnot having water or electricity, eating different food, the language barrier,
etc., but sometimes there are challenges that sneak up and surprise you. Culture shock,
uncertainty, loneliness, expectation differences, lack of motivation in those around you, etc.
While all of these challenges are certainly part of the Peace Corps experience, we have found
that they are greatly outweighed by the amount of kindness, friendship, adventures, success
stories, support, childrens laughter, etc., that you will experience along the way.

As Community and Youth Empowerment Volunteers in Fiji you will likely have the opportunity
to work closely with a school and your community. By utilizing the school structure, volunteers
are given a wonderful opportunity to make a direct impact on the youth in their area as well as
work closely with many teachers. The Ministry of Education in Fiji has made it compulsory for
schools to provide Family Life Education (FLE) to all students in secondary school. This class
covers information ranging from puberty and sexual/reproductive health to conflict resolution
skills to wellness and safety and more. Although the class has been made mandatory, this does
not mean that every school is teaching this information. Culturally, in Fiji it is very taboo to talk
openly about most of the FLE topics and many teachers have not been trained in this area and
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are not comfortable addressing these subjects openly or comprehensively. As a kaivalagi
(foreigner), I have found that I am often given a free pass to talk openly with my students. At
my school, some teachers even request me to speak to their students about sensitive subjects
because they are not comfortable doing it themselves and they feel that the students are more
comfortable opening up and asking questions to me. Although this is convenient for me now, I
realize that our job here is only for 2 years and others need to carry on when we are gone.
Therefore, it is beneficial to practice co-teaching with others or provide trainings to help other
teachers learn some activities to present challenging information to their students. Because Fiji
has such high numbers of teen pregnancy, STIs, and violence acts against women and children,
learning about successful coping skills, health strategies, relationship skills and empowerment
tools are vitally important to the overall health and wellness of the Fijian people.

One great thing about Fiji is the abundance of resources that are available, however, many
people are unaware of these resources or do not know how to access them. For those of you
who may not be placed at a school, you may have the opportunity to work with other agencies
like the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Youth and Sports, Reproductive & Family Health
Association, or other NGOs. You will have the opportunity to help create avenues for youth to
take advantage of their resources and utilize them effectively. You may also be able to assist in
educating other volunteers in learning about resources they can access in their village or youth
group.

We have such a wonderful opportunity to influence the lives of those around us, especially by
leading through example. During the short two years you will spend in Fiji, you may not be able
to make large structural changes or completely eradicate entrenched cultural practices of
inequality, but you will certainly make an influence on the lives of those around you who are
watching how you live and treat others closer than you realize. I have been blessed over and
over again in Fiji by hearing local people tell me stories about how much they were influenced
by the Peace Corps teacher they had when they were growing up. And right now there are
some sweet Fijian kids who are waiting to meet you in their village and will one day tell stories
about you, the Peace Corps Volunteer that came and taught them ________________.

Loloma Levu,

Katherine Katarina Hillgren

Community Youth Empowerment Volunteer
Peace Corps Fiji Group 92

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Malo, eh!

Welcome to the Peace Corps Fiji family - we hope youre excited to start your adventure! We
are Tom and Carly, a married couple living on Moala Island, a small outer island in the Lau
group. Our Peace Corps experience is a study in opposites - we left our careers and awesome
urban life in Chicago, and now live on a tiny island with fewer people than a rush hour L train.
Living on this little island is in some ways just as romantic as it seems. Our house is right next to
the ocean, we eat straight from the forest and the sea, the most delicious mangoes on earth
are here, and we zip around by punt boat to get between villages. In other ways, daily life here
is really challenging. We have electricity and running water for only a few hours each day, food
variety is quite limited, there are no roads, refrigeration, restaurants, shops or markets and we
can feel very isolated. This is also one of the most conservative/traditional parts of the country
where church permeates everything. Theres no alcohol, no dancing, and definitely no wearing
pants for women!

We do a variety of work here in Moala and while theres not really a typical day, we tend to
keep busy. The Peace Corps focuses on the issues of health, youth empowerment, and climate
change; here those issues are deeply interconnected and we work in all sectors on any given
day. We collaborate with the health center to provide outreach and education to all the villages
and schools on the island. At the primary and secondary school in our home village we teach
health for all grades, lead a careers class for upper grades, support English language learning,
and run sports on Friday afternoons. We also assist the island leaders on development projects,
mostly related to climate change and environmental issues. On top of all that, we work with our
village committee, the womens group, and the youth group on various projects. We see our
job as responding to the needs brought to us by our community...and in a remote place that is
often overlooked by aid programs, needs are high.

The other part of our job is learning how to live a traditional Fijian lifestyle. Paradise is more
complicated than a white sandy beach - a nice warm climate doesnt mean youre on vacation
24/7. Living here takes a tremendous amount of work, and we spend more time than we ever
thought possible on basic daily tasks. A significant part of every day is spent on food gathering,
cooking, washing clothes, cutting the grass, etc. While our location is an extreme example, this
aspect of the experience is true to some extent no matter where you are placed.

If we have any words of wisdom to share for your approach to service, its to let go of some of
your Americanness and opt in fully to life in Fiji. Get your mind right about giving up some of
your creature comforts, habits, and pieces of your identity. While serving in Fiji you wont be
able to eat the same, dress the same, joke about the same things, or have the same options for
fun. Trying to replicate all of this in Fiji will result in constant frustration. At first a lot of things
will be challenging and uncomfortable; some things will stay challenging and uncomfortable for
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the whole 27 months. But for everything that you feel is lacking, slow-moving, or rudimentary
in Fiji, there is some aspect of American culture that is overwhelming, rushed, or overly
complex. Before you leave, reflect on your decision to serve and think seriously about your
commitment to be flexible and endure hardship. Once youre here, live with this, keep
reflecting on this, and learn from this.

On the flip side, opting in fully to Fijian life brings great reward. Wear the traditional clothes,
eat whatever is put in front of you, be a part of everything going on in your community even
when its boring and youre tired. This is the part of service that is most personally
transformational and also most empowering to your community. Fijians are proud of their
lifestyle and traditions - for good reason. We promise that if you make the effort to live just like
your neighbors, your community will love you for it. This lesson is especially tangible as the only
two foreigners living on our island, and the first ones to live here in several decades. When we
arrived we were like little children, lacking basic skills in an environment so radically different
from home. We often felt discouraged and self-conscious but weve learned a lot and keep
learning more all the time. We tell our neighbors every day how much we are learning from
them and we believe thats one of the most powerful parts of our service.

We have challenging days, which will continue throughout our service. In the abstract or big
picture our experience is incredible, but sometimes the reality of day-to-day life is pretty
tough. Yet whenever we talk to others about our life we end up focusing on the positives (we
live on a tropical island after all!) without even thinking about it. This is the reason to stick it out
through the day-to-day challenges; these wont stay with you in the long run. Persevere
through those difficult days, theyll be great stories later. Youll eventually laugh about every
awful thing that happens...even the digestive issues!

As your departure date approaches, soak in the summer and spend your time with the people
you love doing the things you love, especially eating. Seriously, youll miss your favorite foods,
so enjoy them while you can! Dont get a lot of fancy gear but bring extras of useful things you
already like, either for yourself or to give away. Dont spend time worrying about what your life
is going to be like, because whether youre placed in a city or a tiny island your experience will
be full of surprises and thats the best part! Do spend some time sitting cross-legged on the
floor...your body will thank you for that once youre here. Come to Fiji with an open mind, a
good sense of humor, and a spirit of adventure. Be ready to be challenged and to grow and to
make new friends. You wont be disappointed as this will be one of the wildest, coolest, and
most humbling experiences of your life.

Loloma and see you soon,

Carly Siuta and Tom Lashinski

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Outer Island Survivalists
Peace Corps Fiji Group 91
Naroi Village, Moala Island, Lau

Meu sa bula sia and congratulations on your invitation to be a member of a small, but mighty,
group of Peace Corps Volunteers to serve in the Fiji Islands. If your friends and family are
anything like mine they may be saying, Well, that wont be hard, living on a tropical island for
two years. I promise you that Fiji will provide you all of the challenges that you signed up for
when you applied for your Peace Corps service. If you accept, you will be a part of a key joint
effort between three Ministries to reach the children and youth of Fiji and help them become
strong, healthy and motivated adults that can lead Fiji into the future.

The Community Youth Empowerment Project set before you is forward thinking in that you will
work with three key Ministries that are invested in the success and future of the people of Fiji.
The volunteer groups before you have been paving the way with the Ministries of Health and
Education and now Peace Corps is also partnering by the Ministry of Youth and Sports. I am
currently serving as a member of the Community Health Empowerment Project; with the
Ministry of Health and in the course of the last year, I have really begun to understand that the
future health of Fiji lies within the youth.

Health. Fiji is experiencing some major health crises. First, lifestyle diseases, or non-
communicable diseases, like diabetes and heart disease, have been on the rise in Fiji since the
early 1990s and are so prevalent that the Ministry of Health fears that in 20 years, if current
behaviors dont change, half of the population will battle Type II Diabetes. Teenage pregnancies
and STI/HIV rates are on the rise and deeply rooted cultural taboos continue to make talking
about reproductive and sexual health a very real challenge. You will need to learn to talk to not
only youths from two distinct and intertwined cultures about these topics, but to also how to
teach their adults how to have these conversations at home (where education starts.) Finally,
malnutrition is an everyday struggle. Urbanization has taken its toll on the nutrition profile of
Fiji and recent climate changes to the growing seasons of local vegetables dont help. Learning
how to eat for health is vital at all ages and you will have the opportunity to teach this skill and
model healthy eating by learning how to eat nutritiously in your community and demonstrating
it for all to take notice, and they will. When I dont take sugar in my tea, it gets commented on
every time.

Education. I am lucky to have a secondary school and a primary school in my community. In

addition, there are 25 primary schools and 2 additional secondary schools in my medical area. It
is a little overwhelming, fun, but overwhelming. Its fun to see their little eyes light up or how
they shout your name through the window when you walk by. They will remember what you

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teach them because you are different. In addition to teaching them about being healthy, you
will have an opportunity to teach them critical thinking skills that are imperative for the future
leaders of Fiji to possess. Teachers are overwhelmed too and will welcome your energy, ideas
and partnership.

Empower youth. Youth in Fiji is defined as people aged 15-35 years old. This means that
members of your target audience may be older than you and likely to be raising children of
their own. We have learned that 20% of the youth in Fiji are idle meaning they dont do
anything for one of many reasons. They arent in school, arent in the labor force and arent
working the land or sea. They arent doing anything. They have so much potential, but there are
real limitations in their lives that you can help them to want to and figure out how to overcome.
I have spent a lot of my time with my district soccer team, which is made up of boys (22-30yrs)
from the surrounding villages. I have learned so much about what challenges they face, how
they spend their days, their priorities, what motivates them and how much they need to learn
about taking control of their health--just by spending time with them. Then, slowly as they trust
me, I can ask questions, introduce ideas and challenge their thinking. This is just an example of
the kind of unexpected path you may find within your service in Fiji.

Your job will truly be 24/7. Some of that time will be working on programs and projects, but
every day you should be an example of how to lead a healthy and active life in your Fijian
community. I meet people everyday that has a story about a Peace Corps Volunteer that has
made an impact in their lives. I cant wait for you to be someones story to remember and talk
about for decades to come. If you are looking for a Peace Corps service that will challenge you
intellectually and emotionally, set inside a beautiful island nation with a rich culture that is
being rapidly impacted by the western world, and where you can make a difference in
someones life every day, say yes to this and so much more by accepting your invitation and we
will see you in the land where the new day begins.

Loloma,

Jamie Rosencrans Rosi

Community Health Empowerment Project, Group 90
2013-2015

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