The Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) in collaboration with UNICEF Pacific launched the Just Play Emergency Programme in response to relief efforts yesterday.

The Just Play programme aims to support the delivery of critical information to children and families in areas affected by natural disasters.

The programme will also deploy trained facilitators to selected affected communities across Fiji to host Just Play festivals as part of social mobilisation activities to reinforce key messages and assist with psychological first aid specifically targeting children between 6 to 16 years of age.

Fiji Just Play Project Manager Lavenia Yalovi said “The Just Play program will be taken to places Fiji Football has not yet covered.”

This includes Vanuabalavu, Koro Island, Gau, Ovalau, Batiki, Nairai, Taveuni, Savusavu, Tunuloa, Rabi, Cakaudrove Point, Bua, Korovou, Rakiraki, Tavua, Lautoka, Yasawa Islands, Ba and Vatukoula.

These locations were identified in the National Emergency Operation Centre document.

UNICEF Pacific Communications specialist Alice Clements said playing is a vital opponent of recovery emotionally.

“We saw this in Vanuatu after Cyclone Pam just a year ago how powerful this was in helping children to recover, in learning new life skills and learning ways to deal emotionally with this incredibly stressful experience.”

Meanwhile Fiji FA Chief Executive Bob Kumar said this was a great joint effort as it will revive and get everyone back on their feet.

Edited by Rosi Doviverata

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