Residents of Nubunivonu Settlement in the Macuata province will no longer walk for two miles and cross over a mountain to attend church.

This comes after the Valebasoga Tropik Board Limited (VTBL) used the proceeds from logging the settlement’s forest to build a church at their door step.

Nubunivonu Settlement headman Taniela Yalobula said they have been waiting for this church project for at least three years.

“We had an agreement with VTBL and iTaukei Land Trust Board that our proceeds from the logging would be used for the church project,” Mr Yalobula said.

“We chose the church project because our people for every church programme would have to walk two miles and cross a mountain to attend church at Bulileka Village.

“Every villages and settlements have a desire to have their own church so that people can worship God with great comfort.

“Now that the church is located within our settlement it brings a great relief to us and we would like to thank VTBL for being faithful. It is very rare to find business organisations keeping their promises.”

Valebasoga Tropik Board Limited media spokesperson Serupepeli Vueta said the company over the years were not only operating for business purposes but also engaging with community projects to build and maintain good relationships.

“It is very happy to see smiles and tears of joy in these people as they had their first church service in the new building we provided,” Mr Vueta said.

“This is one of the many community projects we have done in Vanua Levu.”

The name of the church is Saioni.

VTBL is Labasa’s largest timber manufacturing company, founded in 1990 and it is one of the largest employers in the Northern Division.

Edited by Naisa Koroi

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