26 June 2018

The Institute of Applied Sciences (IAS) of the University of the South Pacific with its Fiji Government partner, the National Centre for Small and Micro-Enterprises Development (NCSMED) and the Kadavu Provincial Office successfully completed a New Business Creation Course for 49 participants from 13 villages from the districts of Naceva, Yale and Nakasaleka in Kadavu. The course held in Nakasaleka from the 11 – 14 June, 2018 was delivered as part of the Restoration of Ecosystem Services and Adaptation to Climate Change (RESCCUE) project coordinated by IAS.

Conducted by Mrs. Buloulevu Vakataumavi of NCSMED with the assistance of Joji Sivo and Mere Vere of IAS’s Environment Unit, the main objective of the training course was to strengthen the financial management skills of the communities so that they can allocate sufficient financial resources on a sustainable basis for the monitoring of their marine reserves and other conservation initiatives. There were three to four individuals selected from the following 13 villages:  Nakoronawa, Nakaugasele, Lomanikoro, Nakaunakoro, Lawaki, Tiliva, Nukuvou (District of Nakasaleka), Vunisei, Naivakarauniniu, Nacomoto (District of Naceva), Levuka, Rakiraki and Naioti (District of Naceva). Most of the participants were youth and young married couples representing the larger percentage of income earners in most communities.

One of the other main achievements of the training course was that participants were proud that for the first time they had business plans developed which they will now implement in their respective villages. The training also provided an opportunity for participants to network with their peers from different villages and to encourage each other. Ratu Rabici Rayawa, the Takala I Nakasaleka, or chief of Naksaleka, presented all participants with completion certificates.

Dr. Isoa Korovulavula, the Fiji RESCCUE Coordinator and IAS Environment Unit Manager stated that “this training serves a very important component of the RESCCUE project which is to strengthen the financial skills of communities so that they can identify appropriate financial mechanisms that would sustainably support their respective Integrated Coastal Management activities”.