Changing the Culture of Violence in Fiji

This quarter, our team in Fiji placed renewed emphasis on living the Five Strategies of The Virtues Project™ to strengthen families, youth, and communities facing personal and social challenges. With the generous volunteer support of Master Facilitator Val Hilliker from Canada, we saw a powerful rise in Confidence, Compassion, and Unity of Purpose across several partner communities.

Val’s programs—using puppetry, “Chill Skills,” and virtues-centered storytelling—ignited Joy, Creativity, and Resilience in children and youth in Sigatoka, Koroipita, and the surrounding settlements. Her sessions inspired new daily practices of Virtue Picks, awakened fresh commitment among community volunteers, and helped young people rediscover their Inner Strength and sense of purpose.

One of the most impactful outcomes this quarter came from our work at the Lautoka Safe House, where survivors of violence, addiction, and trauma received individualized support through the Fifth Strategy: The Art of Companioning. Many participants shared that this was the first time they felt truly listened to with Respect and Empathy. The Safe House has now requested ongoing weekly visits—an important step toward long-term healing and stability.

Youth leadership also grew significantly. New volunteers stepped forward with remarkable Initiative and Dedication, connecting daily with the wider Virtues Project International community to strengthen communications and outreach. These relationships highlight how cooperation across cultures enriches on-the-ground work.

Meanwhile, Talei, a local Master Facilitator, continues to guide her Mataqali (tribe) in applying virtues-based decision-making to land stewardship, community development, and conflict resolution—demonstrating how these tools build Harmony, Accountability, and Shared Vision at a grassroots level.

Across all activities, we witnessed how implementing the Five Strategies of The Virtues Project helps communities reconnect with their Dignity, deepen mutual Respect, and discover practical ways to support one another through life's challenges. This unity of spirit makes every contribution deeply meaningful.

Why Your Support Matters Now

Your donation directly fuels:

• Trauma healing and companioning for individuals in crisis
  
  
• Youth empowerment programs using virtue-based life skills
  
  
• Community-led development and conflict resolution
  
  
• Training for new facilitators and volunteers
  
  
• Cross-cultural collaboration that strengthens local capacity
  
  

This Giving Season, your generosity will help us expand weekly Safe House support, strengthen youth programming, and provide more communities with tools that foster Peace, Purpose, and Resilience.

Thank you for helping this work grow with Unity, Kindness, and Hope.

Our collaborations are growing...

One of the collaborations we are incredibly excited about is our partnership with the Corals for Conservation (C4C) project, which is focused on restoring the coral reefs to health against the horror of their global death and decline. Though simple, the process of restoring these reefs is not fully understood. It involves picking coral that is already adapted to hot water from the shallow pockets around the coasts and placing them in nurseries to multiply, hence making them more resilient to climate change, then returning them to the main reef, where they will replace the vulnerable reef. With their adaptability to hot water, they can survive in the ocean's water pockets, which are not as hot.

Corals for Conservation (C4C) has recently been awarded a significant grant to lead a regional research initiative across Fiji, Samoa, and Vanuatu. This project aims to collect essential data that will be used to inform and persuade stakeholders who are somewhat skeptical about the urgency of coral reef conservation.

Recognizing that lasting change begins with character and trust, the first key activity in this project will be a comprehensive Virtues Project Training for all project staff. This foundational training will not only cultivate individual integrity, trustworthiness, and honesty within the team, additionally, it will also prepare them to become facilitators of The Virtues Project—equipped to inform, guide, and empower the communities they’ll engage with throughout the project.

Building trustworthy, authentic relationships is essential for community-driven conservation. As such, virtues such as compassion, respect, responsibility, and cooperation will be at the core of this work. These qualities are not just ideals—they are practical tools that will help unite diverse stakeholders and ensure that this multi-community initiative is carried out with dignity, inclusiveness, and long-term success.

During this reporting period, our virtues trainer has held excellent meetings with people at all levels of the community, including the high chief, and a group of women on Lakeba Island, all looking to have further Virtues Project training.  

Your generosity over the years has been invaluable. Your donations pay for materials, travel, training, lodging and more.  Thank you for your commitment to the well-being of Fiji.