Filipe Naikaso 
FENC Head of Operations, Nirmala Nambiar
The Foundation for the Education of Needy Children in Fiji is anticipating an increase in applications for assistance following changes in Value Added Tax rates and bus fares.
FENC Head of Operations, Nirmala Nambiar says they believe the recent changes will put additional financial strain on families already struggling to make ends meet.
This is in regards to the increase in VAT by 15 percent on items that are not zero-rated and the removal of a 10 percent subsidy on bus fares.
“Because of the cost, it’s an increase for us as well, because we’ll be buying at a higher price. So we know that people are more in that range where they are not able to afford the high cost.”
Nirmala says the organization has been providing educational opportunities to children from disadvantaged backgrounds, supporting about 27,000 children since 2009.
She says their assistance is not restricted to any location, as they target the entire nation.
According to Nambiar, applications will open in mid-September, and it will be processed after a review.
FENC also received $300,000 during the budget allocation.
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