From community advocate to election candidate

For six years, Taufa Qoro St John has worked closely with young people struggling to find employment, listened to women who felt unheard and supported families facing everyday challenges in Lami.

The former civil servant now hopes to take those voices beyond her community as she contests the upcoming election.

A mother of five and grandmother of two, St John has spent the past three decades living in Lami, where her passion for community service grew from a desire to help those around her.

Before entering community work, she served in the civil service, an experience she says helped her understand people and their challenges at the grassroots level.

"I've been doing community work for the past six years and working in the community," Ms St John said.

She hopes to address issues affecting young people, particularly those at risk of becoming involved in crime and other illegal activities.

Ms St John said understanding their circumstances was the first step towards helping them.

"The first thing was I gathered the youth and had meetings with them. I got to hear their stories and see where I could fit in," she said.

"Before that, I had to put myself in their shoes, think like them and eat with them. That's when you get to see what they need."

Through community engagement, she organised youth meetings, sports competitions and clean-up campaigns aimed at providing positive activities and encouraging community participation.

One initiative was the Qiri Kava competition, which brought together young people, community leaders and stakeholders.

Ms St John said partnerships with the private sector also helped create opportunities for unemployed youth.

"We managed to speak with CJ Patel and FMF. They were able to take in some of our youth for employment, helping reduce unemployment within the area," she said.

She also encouraged young people to pursue vocational and trade training to improve their chances of securing long-term employment.

"We can send our youth to attend training and gain certificates in trade-related fields, which can help keep them engaged instead of loitering around the area," she said.

As the District Advisory Councillor for Qauia, an area with a population of about 6700 people, she said the role came with significant challenges.

"There were times people would swear at night and even throw stones at the house," Ms St John said.

"I didn't withdraw because I knew they were just kids and didn't know what they were doing."

Despite the difficulties, she remained committed to serving the community and finding practical solutions to local problems.

She said many women, particularly those living in informal settlements, often felt unheard and underrepresented.

"I want to be the voice of the women in the community, the ones who are not heard, the ones who are not seen, especially in informal settlements," she said.

Now contesting the upcoming election, she hopes to make a broader impact.

"I hope I can make a difference not only in my community but in Fiji as a whole," she added.