Changing the Culture of Violence in Fiji

A review of what the puppet project has achieved is taking place now with visits to the communities who have been involved with the project. Reports are coming in that children are making puppets in their communities and this will help them express their problems and wishes. The puppets speak on behalf of the children who would otherwise not talk about what is happening in their lives. Facilitators can then talk through the puppets and help the children find the virtues which will help them solve their problems. 

There are resports which need to be followed through of some school teachers using puppets to help the children they teach to work through the challenges life poses. The Virtues Project Fiji will expand its work to provide more training to teachers in how the puppets and the Virtues Project work together with among other things the ability to control a class room and to provide positive discipline.

The results of the review are to be presented to government heads of department and ministers as there has been a lot of publicity and media attention on the issue of bullying and abuse of women and children this past year. There is no solution offered and all that is said is that it must stop. This is where the Virtues Tool Box is being developed to show that action can be actively undertaken to address the issue. The presentation to the ministers will include the Tool Box and an explanation of how it works.

In addition to working on the puppets and the problems of abuse the Virtues Project Fiji continues to work with the villages on management and on helping women develop their business skills using the virtues of honesty, trustworthiness and integrity.