Changing the Culture of Violence in Fiji

Food insecurity, rising living costs, substance abuse, and increasing social challenges continue to affect many families across Fiji. Through your generous support, The Virtues Project is helping communities respond with practical, sustainable solutions that strengthen both livelihoods and relationships.

This month, our local team continued to empower families across Suva, Nausori, Tailevu, Nadi, Ba, and Lautoka by combining virtues-based education, positive parenting, youth empowerment, and community resilience with practical initiatives that improve food security and long-term wellbeing.

Recognizing that access to nutritious food begins at home, families are being encouraged to establish household food gardens using available land around their homes and in community spaces. Beyond reducing the cost of purchasing food, these gardens are creating opportunities for neighbors to share seedlings, root crops, gardening tools, and knowledge, strengthening both food security and community cooperation.

Our five trained peer educators continued regular community visits throughout the month, introducing families to the Five Strategies of The Virtues Project. These practical tools are helping parents improve communication, set healthy boundaries, resolve conflict peacefully, and build more respectful relationships within their homes. To ensure young leaders can continue serving their communities, transportation support is provided to enable them to reach families across multiple locations.

During June, the program expanded into two new communities—Nadi and Ba—where parents participated in awareness sessions addressing the growing challenges of drug abuse, family wellbeing, and positive parenting. Community visits were conducted twice each week, giving families the opportunity to discuss local concerns, strengthen parenting skills, and learn how virtues such as responsibility, respect, compassion, and discernment can help guide children and young people toward healthier life choices.

A total of 50 families were reached this month:

• 20 families across the Western Division (Ba, Nadi, and Lautoka)
• 20 families in Suva
• 5 families in Nausori
• 5 families in Tailevu

At Daulomani Safe Home, community members continue to practice a daily Virtues Pick and participate in regular Companioning sessions with children in their care. These consistent practices are creating a nurturing environment where children experience greater emotional support, positive communication, and stronger relationships. Additional in-depth training for key community leaders is planned to further strengthen local capacity.

One of the most encouraging outcomes has been the growing leadership demonstrated by young people. Youth participants are taking on greater responsibility within their communities, mentoring their peers and courageously sharing personal stories about overcoming the impacts of drug and alcohol abuse. Their lived experiences are becoming powerful tools for prevention, hope, and positive change.

Community collaboration has also grown significantly. Families are increasingly supporting one another by sharing farming resources, handicraft skills, gardening equipment, and planting materials. These acts of generosity are helping communities become more self-reliant and better prepared to respond to future economic and environmental challenges.

Looking ahead, the team will continue community visits to Daulomani Safe Home in Nadi and Lautoka, with expanded activities focused on the Five Strategies of The Virtues Project, HIV awareness, drug prevention, and youth empowerment during the current school holidays. These sessions will engage both youth and adults, equipping them with practical virtues-based tools to make wise decisions, strengthen families, and create safer, healthier communities.

Perhaps the most meaningful measure of success comes from the communities themselves. During follow-up visits, families consistently reported noticeable positive changes—not only in individual behavior, but in relationships throughout the household. Improved communication, greater respect, stronger family connections, and renewed hope are transforming homes one family at a time.

Thank you to VPIA and our donors for your generosity, compassion, and service that make this work possible. Every donation helps equip families with practical virtues-based tools, strengthens youth leadership, improves food security, and empowers communities across Fiji to build a more resilient and hopeful future.