SHY faces stared into camera lenses when students from Navuakece District School in Fiji created postcards from paradise for Port Combined Netball Club.
Dressed excitedly in their new blue and teal netball dresses, their messages and photos expressed how grateful they were for the donated kits.
It was a perfect example of how a circular economy and a calling to help others can assist a community an ocean away.
“When we updated our uniform, we had quite a few old uniforms in stock that we couldn’t use,” Port Combined Netball Club Publicity Officer Linda Dewbery said.
“I took the dresses to Fiji with me on my holiday a few months ago”.
This isn’t the first time the club has supported young people in Fiji.
“A few years ago, we received new kit bags, so we filled our old [ones] with joggers, netballs, socks, and a pump, and sent them to a village.”
This year, with the excess dresses not in use and feeling the positive impact their previous donation had, it was the perfect opportunity to bag them up and jump on a plane to support another community in need.
“The village I visited had recently received some generous donations, so it was agreed that an elder from Votua Lalai Village would take these to another village four hours inland, donating to Navuakece District School.”
Located in Naitasiri, one of 14 provinces of Fiji, the school has benefited from various initiatives aimed at improving its facilities and educational programs.
In January, they opened a brand-new classroom block.
The new learning space was only possible thanks to the much-needed funding provided by the Fiji Government along with the Government of Japan as part of their Japan’s Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP) Program.
The school has also been involved in sports and environmental awareness programs, making the delivery of the netball kits to Navuakece District School a fitting choice.
“Receiving photos of their village, and students in the dresses, is very humbling,” said Linda.
“It’s important, as a club, to encourage our members to show humility and gratitude by encouraging them to support activities like this where they can.”
By Rikki WALLER
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