15 years behind bars, but not broken: Salesi finds purpose in prison

Almost fifteen years behind bars has not broken Salesi Baleikivuya — it has rebuilt him.

The 35-year-old, originally from Nasoso, Kubulau in Bua, grew up in Suva's Raiwai and Raiwaqa areas — suburbs widely known across Fiji as high-crime communities.

Surrounded by the wrong influences, he fell into criminal activity and eventually ended up in prison.

This year on August 12, he will mark 15 years of imprisonment.

Yet Mr Baleikivuya speaks not with bitterness, but with purpose.

"I thank God for the process I went through during my time there," he said.

"Although I faced many challenges, I eventually realised the gifts and talents that God had given me."

His message, shaped by years of reflection inside Naboro Corrections Centre, is directed squarely at young Fijians who may feel their lives have no direction.

"I want to encourage young people not to give up on themselves or think that they are not capable of achieving something good," he said.

Mr Baleikivuya said one of the most important lessons prison taught him was the value of sharing knowledge — not holding it back.

"We should share the knowledge and skills we have with others instead of keeping them to ourselves," he said.

He believes the choices people make, especially in their youth, shape everything that follows.

Growing up, he said, he did not fully understand the difference between the path he was on and the life he could have been living — until prison forced him to stop and think.

When he is eventually released, Mr Baleikivuya hopes to return home and use what he has learned to help guide his family and community.

"Together we can become better citizens of Fiji," he said.

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