Ragigia swaps tradesman’s career to faith leader

When Manasa Ragigia packed away his refrigeration and air conditioning tools for the last time, there was no grand ceremony or farewell party.

For years, he had worked in a field many would consider it with ideal steady income, skilled labour and tangible results.

Wiring of homes no longer lit the same fire in his heart.

Something deeper had been tugging at him for years.

The personal conviction made him to a leap of faith.

“I felt the tug in my heart for years,” Mr Ragigia said.

“And when the moment came, I knew I had to trust that calling,” he said.

That calling led him thousands of kilometres away from the shores of Fiji, to the rustic, windswept landscape of Victoria, Australia.

He is now a full-time volunteer with Camp Coolamatong, Banksia Peninsula, Gippsland, located three and half hour drive from Melbourne city.

Originally from Buakama Village in Yasawa guiding youths through canoe trips and late-night campfires is just old times at home for Mr Ragigia.

“Back in Buakama meals were basic, and schoolbooks were often passed down from siblings. But there was love. And there was faith,” he said.

His parents work in the tourism sector, for the family’s sustenance and well-being.

“Growing up, I was surrounded by tourists. People came from all over the world to see the beauty of Fiji. But what stuck with me was their hunger—not just for adventure, but for connection. That always stayed with me,” he said.

While other children in the village dreamed of leaving to become doctors or lawyers, Mr Ragiagia found himself drawn inward and toward studying and sharing the scripture, and eventually toward service.

While school was important, it was the after-school Christian fellowship groups that captured his attention. It was there during the Bible studies and singing of choruses and hymns that he found his niche.

“That was my escape. It was where I felt I truly belonged.”

Spiritual calling

After finishing school, Mr Ragigia trained as an electrician, a practical decision aimed at providing stability for himself and supporting his family.

While work was rewarding, something never quite clicked.

His spiritual hunger spiraled, it kept growing. In his spare time, he began volunteering with Scripture Union Fiji, a Christian organisation focused on youth ministry.

“Working with Scripture Union showed me what it meant to serve with purpose,” he said.

“Not just fix things—but to help fix lives.”

Eventually, the opportunity to travel to Australia to serve with Scripture Union Victoria (SUV) was there.

SUV operates Camp Coolamatong, known as Camp Coola.

“At Camp Coola, we don’t just run camps—we help young people see their worth,” he said.

“We create a space where they can grow, reflect, and feel valued.”

Camp Coola is always packed with youths from varying backgrounds; some struggling with issues of identity, others just looking for belonging.

For majority of the kids, it’s their first encounter with someone like Mr Ragigia warm, grounded, and unshakably kind.

But the work is not without sacrifice. As a full-time volunteer, Mr Ragigia relies on the support of a network of donors and friends.

“I may have left behind my dream job; here at Camp Coola I have found my calling.”

He has attended school assemblies and outdoor chapels, small groups of boys encouraging them to open up about fear and failure.

His trip has taken him away from home, but not away from his roots. In many ways, he said the journey has brought him full circle.

Feedback: sosiveta.korobiau@fijisun.com.fj