Homesick but determined: RKS student honoured for excellence in science

Leaving his parents and family in the village of Dakuniba, Cakaudrove, to attend an all-boys school on Viti Levu was never an easy decision for Savirio Madarana.

But last Saturday, during the Ratu Kadavulevu School (RKS) prizegiving ceremony, every tear, sacrifice and late-night study session felt worth it when he was named Best Science Student.

Surrounded by relatives who had travelled to witness his achievement, the Year 13 student said the award reminded him of how far he had come and how far he hopes to go.

“There were nights when I cried myself to sleep because I missed home,” he said.

“Being far from my parents, especially my father who works as a farmer, was really hard. Sometimes all I wanted was to hear him say, ‘Keep going, son.’”

He said he struggled with doubt, especially in the early years of boarding school.

“When I entered RKS in Year 9, I felt small. But I knew what I wanted. I have always dreamed of becoming a doctor,” he said.

“I told myself that if I wanted that white coat one day, I had to put in the work.”

His dream of studying medicine, he said, is rooted in his desire to give back to the people of Cakaudrove.

“I come from a place where access to medical services is not always easy,” he said.

“I want to be someone who can return home and serve my community. That’s the goal I wake up with every morning.”

Savirio said faith helped keep him grounded.

“At times I wanted to go back home, but I reminded myself that God placed me here for a reason,” he said.

“Whenever things got tough, I prayed and told myself, ‘God is beside me, I can do this.’”

He also acknowledged the support of his teachers and classmates, who encouraged him through the demanding science curriculum.

“There were days when I felt like giving up, and my friends would say, ‘Bro, you’ve come too far to stop now.’ That kept me going,” he said.

Looking ahead, Savirio hopes to secure a scholarship to pursue a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery.

“This award is just the beginning,” he said.

“I know the journey to becoming a doctor will be even harder, but I’m ready. I want to make my parents proud and prove that a boy from Dakuniba can make it all the way.”