ISSUE 11 / APRIL - Vodafone Fiji

Passion for service is explicit in theactivities of the National VolunteerCentre, which is supported by theVodafone ATH Fiji Foundation.Whether it is helping to ensurelife skills are available to womenprisoners, or setting up a garden, orworking towards cleaner and bettersurroundings, the passion to make adifference is inherent in the activitiesof the volunteers of the NVC. TheNVC is an initiative of the Fiji Councilof Social Services.For example, members of theNVC Hibiscus group in Suva spendtheir Saturdays at the Women’s WardCorrectional and Rehabilitation Unit.Through funds given by theVodafone ATH Fiji Foundation, theHibiscus group bought scrubbingbrushes, steel brushes and paintscrappers for use in maintenancework and painting of the sewingtraining room for women to learnskills to survive after serving theirterm. The volunteers also created afood garden for the inmates.Volunteers in the groups arelargely unemployed who worktowards building up experiencetowards getting a job. Says EmaDaveta of the Hibiscus group: “It isnot only about doing voluntary workbut also gaining something in return.What we did at the prison was an eyeopener for the group also.”Other groups like Frangipani(Father Law Home) Tagimoucia(Basden College), Rose (Pearce Home)EVERYONE CAN MAKE A WORLD OF DIFFERENCEVodafone fueling passion for serviceVodafone is readying to launch its mostimportant social project to date: the World ofDifference programme in which individuals will beselected to execute their own charitable projectsin Fiji for a year, and be paid to do so by VodafoneATH Fiji Foundation.The World of Difference inauguration willbe done on 27 April 2010 by Mr. Russell Hewitt,Vodafone Fiji Board of Director at 168 Princes Road.A call for expression of interest from interestedindividuals in the 20-45 age bracket will be madeshortly after.The World of Difference is a global fl agshipprogramme with local roots increasing appreciationof creative ideas and achievements and currentlyoperating in 18 countries across the globe. It is asocial investment that is targeted at creative researchand programmes that can help to provide replicablesolutions to some of the most pressing problems insociety. The solutions must have the potential to makea world of difference for all people in Fiji and be highimpact,measurable, and sustainable beyond the lifetimeof the initiative.“The World of Difference programme is all aboutfi nding 36 passionate people who want to work helpingcivil society organisations, and get paid to do it,” says MrHewitt.Volunteers: VlTOP: :GGarden project at tBBa aHHospital. BOTTOM: TOM:CCleaning seawalland Sunfl ower (Dilkusha Home)spend their weekends cleaning up orenhancing facilities at their places ofoperation.The respective groups plantedEnabling ideas to make a World of DifferenceVodafone’s new initiative to push for creativity and achievementVodafone ATH Fiji Foundation will call for applicationsfrom passionate people who wish to work shorttermand long-term in a capacity building role with acharitable civil society organisation with all expensesand a salary paid. The programme’s particular focuswill be to enhance organisation effectiveness with aparticular focus on building social leadership in youthsand communities.The World of Difference programme is aboutempowering to make a positive change and givesrecipient an opportunity to make a difference/an impact,get paid to volunteer and learn about themselves, saidMr Hewitt.radish, carrots, tomatoes, dhania andbhindi and made fl ower beds (FatherLaw Home); created an assemblyarea, provided income-generatingequipment - BBQ set and portablestove (Basden College); set upsustainable food gardens (Dilkusha)and cleaned up surroundings (PearceHome and Samabula Old PeoplesHome).In the West, volunteers in Rakiraki,Tavua, Ba, Lautoka, Nadi and Sigatokaworked at the Rakiraki, Tavua, Baand Sigatoka Hospitals, the LautokaSpecial School and the Nadi TownCouncil Library. Much of the workinvolved giving a facelift to thepremises or planting a vegetablegarden.E. C. Walesi took part in the NadiLibrary voluntary activities, by helpingwith pre-schoolers on 19 February. Henow teaches the pre-school kids on aregular basis and is enjoying everymoment of every day with them as avolunteer on behalf of FCOSS.“Doing volunteer work is anexciting experience and it plays animportant part of my daily life,” saysWalesi. “Volunteer work encouragesus to step out of our own ‘littlebox’ and go out in to the world asindependent leaders to help ourneighbours, brothers and sisters.”$0.25m free servicefrom volunteersWith $14,000 spent in the last 3months, we have contributed almost$0.25million value of free services tothe economy of Fiji, says Neil Maharaj,Project Offi cer of the National VolunteerCentre (NVC).The NVC was a dream of FCOSS headMr Hassan Khan who nominated Maharajto attend the 12th IAVE Asia Pacifi cConference so that the knowledge couldbe utilized locally to start NVC.“This centre will seemingly reduce anumber of social issues such as drugsabuse, unemployment, self esteem,and so on facing youths of today,” saysMaharaj. “To eliminate this diffi culty, theyare getting exposure, are committed andhave less leisure time to engage withillegal activities.”Cost-benefi t analysis of the volunteerhours calculated: $3.50/hour X 16 hoursX 13 projects X 303 volunteers assignedtask = $220,584.00 value of free servicesprovided. “My message to our leadersand communities is to show youthsthe light, give a pat on their back andyou will see where they take Fiji. Pleaseencourage them,” said Maharaj.www.vodafone.com.fj/foundation l 3