When you travel to Fiji, you can find organisations that offer a variety of volunteering experiences throughout the islands, which can easily be added on to the start or end of your trip.
Travel doesn’t have to be just about you, it can be a great opportunity to add a volunteering element to your holiday and give a little back to the countries you visit. Fiji has plenty of ways to help: enrich local communities, help save the coral reef or give local wildlife a boost.
Here are the top ways to show you care about Fiji:
Replenish the coral reef
On Barefoot Manta Island Resort you can help to restore the areas of the coral reef through their Barefoot Marine Conservation programme designed for guests who would like to work alongside their marine biology department – talk about a holiday that involves giving back by doing great things for the environment!
You will literally be given the opportunity to help the coral replenishing process by diving with coral fragments that have broken off the reef and wedging or tying, them back into place.
There are also coral planting tables that are designed to create whole new sections of reef ensuring growth for future generations… oh, and did I mention you’ll be experiencing this the completely stunning Yasawa Islands?
Eco-tourism pioneers
Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort Fiji was one of the world’s first eco-luxury hotels, and they have an incredible commitment to environmental sustainability, responsibility and education.
During your stay here you will be in awe at the consideration for the environment, plus you will have an incredible opportunity to visit, experience, learn and support the resorts efforts to preserve its beauty for generations to come, whilst enjoying it yourself of course!
From the kids club through to the adult activities, the delicious culinary offerings through to the day spa, all elements throughout incorporate the admirable environmental ethics of this resort – a true eco-lux experience in paradise.
Help build a school
Many resorts on the main island of Viti Levu offer volunteer tourism initiatives, such as the Coral Coast’s Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort… their partnership with Conua School in Sigatoka Valley, with the support of their guests, has helped fund two new classrooms, a new kindergarten, library, computer lab and large meeting bure – aaaaaamazing!!
Outrigger’s staff and guests have been involved in everything from building classrooms (under the guidance of the resort’s engineering team of course) through to donating books for the library. When you stay at the Outrigger be sure to go on the Community Work School Tour to see this awesome initiative in action.
Get hands on with your next trip
Hands on Journeys is a new tour operator in Fiji that offers an incredible experience combining cultural immersion and empowerment tourism.
Through their #EmpowermentTourism concept a two-way benefit occurs between locals and tourists such as yourself…. you might be helping a community open a cooking school, provide an underdeveloped college with clean water filters or empowering a small group to finally open a business – either way you will return home with so much more than just holiday snaps.
Volunteer in the Yasawas
Vinaka Fiji, supported by Awesome Adventures Fiji, gives you the opportunity to combine your holiday in the stunning Yasawa Islands with lending a beneficial hand to the residents.
You’ll be helping to achieve access to the necessities of life like water, power, education and healthcare – if you’re interested in marine conservation there are options galore and you’ll most certainly learn some local Fijian language which you’ll get to enjoy practicing by participating in traditional Fijian ceremonies in small Fijian Villages or in the evenings with staff at the resorts… it makes for total immersion in the Fijian way of life.
Visit Fiji and WIN!!
Sell your clients a Fiji empowering journey and you can win a trip.
5 finalists will be flown to Fiji and a winner will be decided at end based on who showcased Fiji’s experiences best.
To enter this fantastic contest visit our competition page.
All finalists must have completed the Fiji Matai Programme. Why not register and complete the training modules today.
READ: PLASTIC-FREE: A Fijian island is eliminating ALL single-use plastics
READ: TRAVEL TO CHANGE THE WORLD: How tourists are giving back in Fiji
Have you ever done any voluntourism?
Written by Paul Chai, KARRYON contributor