Around 60 teachers in the Ra District dedicated their time to assist the Ministry of Health and Medical Services create awareness on the COVID-19 vaccines.

Tracking through the mountainous areas, crossing rivers, riding horses to villages and staying away from their families were some of the sacrifices these teachers have had to make to ensure that all Fijians get vaccinated.

About 100 teachers in the Ra district recently volunteered to assist the Ministry of Health while the COVID-19 outbreak took its toll affecting many Fijians around the country.

Out of these 100, the 60 teachers dedicated themselves to travel to the interior parts of Rakiraki going as far as Nukulau Village travelling about 80 to 90 kilometres daily.

The teachers also visited villages like Nasau and Nubumakita.

Away from home

It was a first experience for most of them and the efforts enduring the long hours away from their families is slowly paying off said Eroni Niulele.

Mr Niulele who is the Head of school for Nalawa Central School with almost 17 years of experience said he has learnt many things while being part of the Ra teachers’ group of volunteers.

“During profiling in August, we started from Drauniivi Village, I was called in to help the team as a bus driver and at that time I was teaching at the Rakiraki Special School,” he said.

“It was a challenge because for us teachers we are confined in a classroom.”

He said most villagers at first, did not want to get vaccinated and so it was their responsibility to encourage these villagers to get vaccinated.

“At some households, we were chased from their homes but still we carried on.

“We  usually leave at 8am and return around 1am the next day to our families sleeping. We missed out a lot on family time but these were the sacrifices we made to help Fiji get back to normalcy,” said Mr Niulele.

Maika Nasalato, a teacher at Rakiraki Muslim Primary School said he felt safe moving around as he was fully vaccinated.

“The trip was risky for us and at that time we went there was an outbreak of COVID in Ra but we had to put our lives on the line just to advocate and spread the news on the importance of getting vaccinated,” he said.

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