Changing the Culture of Violence in Fiji

This is part one of a two part report on how the 5 strategies of The virtues Project™ can change a community, not just individuals.

In 2010 Virtues Project Fiji carried out parenting training in some 40 or so villages in one Province in the nation (there are 16 Provinces). In one of these villages the population had no self esteem or self respect. The village compound was a mess of rubbish, homes were unkempt, children dropped out of school at 15 or younger and just hung around doing nothing. People living there were depressed and people outside commented on the low level of life in this community.

One Virtues Project facilitator was married to a fellow from this district and decided to see what could be done to change things. Following the introductory workshop she spent over six months and many follow up visits to watch the community change and became completely different. The community decided that the village council would no longer be just the older men but it would include women and youth in ongoing consultation. Out of this process the village was fenced to keep out animals, the houses were clean and women decorated the interiors to make them attractive. The council agreed that every child would stay at school and where possible attend University as there had been no University graduate in their history.

Now 8 years have passed. What has happened? Did this community maintain its new outlook and continue with using the 5 strategies of The Virtues Project™? Did it move further forward, what happened to the children and have any gone to University yet?

Some enquiries have been made and it would appear that the community has grown even further with small businesses developing and a strong sense of self worth.

Our next activity is to visit this community and some of the surrounding villages and find out exactly where they are at the moment, and what it has meant to their neighbours.

We will report to you as soon as we have whatever we find out.