Raluna champions women’s leadership in Macuata

At 64, Ranadiniceva Raluna has spent much of her life caring for her family and serving her community in Macuata.

Without higher education, she has risen to leadership positions that many once believed were not meant for women. Now, she has her sights set on Parliament.

A mother of 10 children and grandmother to 12 great-grandchildren, Ms Raluna’s journey from village life in Vunivutu, Nadogo, to community leadership has been shaped by determination, service and a refusal to allow criticism to define what she can achieve.

Widowed 15 years ago, she raised her children on her own while navigating the responsibilities of family life. Her formal education took her through several schools in Labasa, including Nadogo District School for primary education, Naleba Secondary School and Labasa Sangam, where she completed Form Six.

She did not pursue further studies, instead returning to village life after completing secondary school. For a time, Ms Raluna worked as a ward assistant at Labasa Hospital. However, her desire to contribute directly to her community eventually drew her back to Vunivutu, where she took on the role of Marama ni Koro, or village women’s leader, at the age of 60.

The position brought responsibilities that tested her resolve.

Ranadiniceva Raluna during the Fiji Women's Practice Parliament.

Photo: Parliament of the Republic of Fiji

“When I took up this leadership post, people said that this is not a woman’s duty. However, the deep desire within my heart was to prove what a woman is capable of achieving in the arena of leadership,” she said.

Rather than allowing those attitudes to discourage her, Ms Raluna focused on her village’s needs. One of her biggest priorities was completing the Vunivutu Evacuation Centre, a project that had remained unfinished for 15 years because the village could not raise enough money to complete it.

She said the project represented more than the completion of a building.

“Today, the Vunivutu Evacuation Centre stands fully completed. It brings immense joy and a great sense of peace to us because if a cyclone hits, we now know there is a safe place where we can be protected.”

Her leadership has not always been easy. At times, men were reluctant to respond to calls for community work because the request came from a woman.

She has continued to rely on the support of other women, whose contributions she considers essential to the village’s progress.

Ms Raluna believes women have a responsibility that extends beyond their households and should be recognised for the work they do in their communities and the wider country.

She is now the manager of Nadogo Central College, where she has worked to address challenges affecting students, including concerns about illicit drugs and smoking within the school compound.

She said the school continued to counsel students, reminding them of their parents’ expectations and the importance of following school rules.

Over time, she witnessed positive changes, reinforcing her belief that firm leadership, guidance and continued engagement can help young people make better choices.

Her responsibilities also extend to the administration of justice. As a Justice of the Peace (JP) serving Macuata, Ms Raluna helps people who need assistance with official documents and other paperwork.

Her decision to become a JP was influenced by the difficulties she had seen villagers face when they needed such services, particularly children and elderly people requiring social welfare documents.

“Whatever men can achieve, we women also possess the strength and the spirit to handle it and face the challenges of our nation.”

Her service now reaches beyond Macuata, extending to communities across much of Vanua Levu.

Her experience in community leadership has also given her an opportunity to share her views at the Fiji Women’s Practice Parliament, where women discussed issues affecting their lives, from grassroots concerns to the support required from Government.

She valued the opportunity to speak openly about the challenges women face and to learn about possible pathways for addressing them.

The experience strengthened her interest in participating in national decision-making.

“If everything I dream of falls into place, I believe that I am capable of standing there too.”

After years of serving her village, managing a school and assisting people through her work as a JP, Ms Raluna believes she has gained valuable experience that could be put to use at a higher level in Parliament.