Involvement Volunteers International The nutrition project in Fiji was a very eye opening experience. It allowed me to learn more about Fiji as a nation and more about the ill-fated issues that affect a majority of their population, all while using my available skills to help out where possible. It was a great way for me to be exposed to more of the nation’s people’s and cultures, which I was very honoured to be a part of. The volunteering experience was very hectic but also felt very rewarding, trying to provide health check ups for people who may not have as much access to medical checks. The people of the villages and places we visited were so welcome and kind, it made the entire experience very enjoyable and fulfilling. It was also very surprising seeing the cases of high BP or sugar levels across the population, alerting me to some of the major issues experienced by the population. Overall, I learnt so much from this experience and enjoyed every minute of it and hope to delve into similar projects again to further my interests and knowledge of healthcare around the world.
Comments on local team, food and accommodation
Our volunteer facilitator Carrun and Mary were lovely and very accomodating for the entire trip. I never felt like I could not ask a question with them. The local team that I worked with were very friendly and easy to get along with. The food provided by the host family was delicious and plentiful, it felt like a little feast every day. The families holding the dinner were all very accomodating and welcoming of their home, and their treatment towards us was very heartwarming, providing us with a place to stay as well as a lot of amazing local food. The accomodation at the farm was a unique stay that overall was very different but enjoyable as I spent a good amount of time away from the online world and focused more on things that didn’t require electricity or the internet. Whilst adjusting to it was different, over time the accomodation became very cosy and enjoyable with my volunteer group. Overall, the local team, food and accomodation was great!
-Minh
