A team of 14 youths from Koro Island are currently at Nayarabale Village in Cakaudrove for a beneficial trip.

The trip, funded by the Ministry of Youth and Sports, includes a youth member from each of the 14 villages on the island.

They are at the village to learn from the Nayarabale Rural Millionaire Youth farm.

The team is also here to seek yaqona plantings so that they can rehabilitate and secure their main source of income lost during Tropical Cyclone Winston.

“We will carry the memories of Tropical Cyclone Winston to our grave.

“The devastation caused was unforgettable and while we still live in tents with no source of income, we are determined to start anew,” said the groups spokesperson, Tevita Vunileba, while presenting their isevusevu.

“The young men here today will be going back to their respective villages to practice what they have witnessed.”

Mr Vunileba said the example set by the Northern village has set an example to other villages in the country, especially to Koro Islanders, most of who rely mainly on yaqona farming as their main source of income.

“This delegation is here to seek for your help so we can set up our islands and recover what has been lost especially our main source of income through the yaqona plantings that we so humbly request from you,” he said.

And their request was happily accepted by the Nayarabale Villages who took the youths for a tour to their farm.

“This is what Christmas is all about and it has come early for us the people of Nayarabale. It is the season to give and help one another,” says Nayarabale turaga ni koro, Lote Turaga.

Leading the delegation from Koro was the Tui Bucabuca, Iliesa Raqaqawa, of Vatulele Village with three Government officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, Youth and Sports and the District Officer.

The youths from Koro arrived on Saturday and will return tomorrow.

Youth villagers discuss

Farm project

Our greatest glory is not in never falling but in rising after every fall, says Kade villager Kameli Karavaki.

The 29-year-old is a part of the delegation from Koro Island to learn from the success story of the village youth in maintaining their Rural Millionaire Youth Farm project.

“When Winston struck, it destroyed about 500 yaqona plants in my farm and the same for about 50 other youths in the village,” Mr Karavaki said.

“And while our farms were destroyed, our hope has not died and we are here to fight for our dreams, to fight for our land and to rehabilitate our lives.”

He said he was positive that when he returned to his village, he would be equipped with the knowledge on how to execute such a project.

“Whatever I will learn from the three days that I will be here, I will disseminate to other youths back home and together we would rebuild our lives and our village,” Mr Karavaki said.

The group’s spokesperson Tevita Vunileba said Christmas this year is set to be different with rehabilitation on top of their agenda.

Edited by Naisa Koroi and Jonathan Bryce

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