New rehabilitation home to support vulnerable boys

A new rehabilitation centre for vulnerable boys is expected to be completed before the end of the year, providing specialised care, counselling and rehabilitation for children affected by drug abuse, neglect, violence and family breakdown.

Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Veivakacokotaki Home at the Fiji Juvenile Rehabilitation Centre in Suva on Wednesday, Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection Sashi Kiran said the facility would accommodate 24 boys aged 10 to 18.

She said the centre would provide education support, life skills training and individual rehabilitation programmes before helping residents reintegrate into their families, communities, schools or employment.

Ms Kiran said the home was developed in response to the growing number of vulnerable children found living on the streets after fleeing abuse, neglect, violence and difficult family circumstances.

She said many of these children were exposed to glue sniffing, illicit drugs and exploitation.

Outreach operations involving the Fiji Police Force, municipal councils and other stakeholders had highlighted the urgent need for a dedicated rehabilitation facility because many children required specialised support that existing care homes could not provide, she said.

Ms Kiran said the ministry currently operated 13 residential facilities for children, but those rescued from the streets often faced substance abuse and other complex issues requiring intensive rehabilitation before they could safely return to society.

She said the Government had partnered with Habitat for Humanity Fiji, which matched Government funding for the project. Construction is expected to be completed before the end of the year following more than a year of planning and approvals.

Minister for Health and Medical Services Dr Ratu Atonio Lalabalavu said the rehabilitation centre marked a new chapter in Fiji's commitment to protecting vulnerable children and strengthening child protection under the recently enacted Child Care and Protection Act and Child Justice Act.

Dr Lalabalavu said fractured family and community support remained among the root causes of children ending up on the streets, using drugs, contracting HIV and attempting suicide.

He said the new facility would provide a safe environment where children could rebuild their confidence, receive the support they needed and prepare for a better future, while reducing pressure on the health, justice and social protection sectors.

"The true measure of a nation is how it cares for its most vulnerable children," Dr Lalabalavu said.