‘We at the Provincial Council are thankful to big corporations like Vodafone ATH for thinking about the vulnerable and the disadvantaged in the remote communities.’

The Kabokira Youth Club at Dreke Village in Nadroga received a timely boost, which would help them accomplish their canteen project this year.

This is after the Vodafone ATH Fiji Foundation generously donated $2500 for the project.

Roko Tui Nadroga Navosa Viliame Burenivalu, who received the cheque from the Vodafone ATH Foundation, informed the youth club members to put the capital to good use.

He thanked the Foundation for reaching remote areas with such projects which not only open doors for capacity building and training, but also envision a sustainable future.

“Youths are our future and these are the people who will sustain Fiji in all aspects,” he said.

“We at the Provincial Council are thankful to big corporations like Vodafone ATH for thinking about the vulnerable and the disadvantaged in the remote communities.

“If we continue working in partnership like this, we will see a huge difference in time to come, where we will be able to promisingly say ‘Yes we can reduce poverty’.”

Mr Burenivalu said: “Youth clubs must ensure proper use of the funds and we will come and check the projects.”

The canteen project will enable the youths to generate revenue and invest in other projects, which is in line with the village’s development plan.

Foundation executive Ambalika Devi Prakash confirmed that $40,000 had been allocated for the western division this quarter.

She said: “We are on a spree to ensure that the youth clubs become sustainable and we are here also to steer these youth to come out of the hand-out mentality. This is not a handout. We continue to challenge the youths to utilise these funds to generate as much revenue as they can.

“Our aim to come down to grassroots communities is to build capacities and train them to do their best utilising their natural resources and ensure that the funds remain in the village.

“We are part of the community as we share as much knowledge, competence and passion with the youth members as possible,” Ms Prakash said.

Edited by Jonathan Bryce

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