Dr Josefa Koroivueta

The Social Welfare Ministry will be speaking with potential donors in New York next month to strengthen its REACH project.

Outgoing Permanent Secretary, Dr. Josefa Koroivueta says the “Commission on the Status of Women” session will give them the perfect opportunity to hold discussions with the permanent representatives from the Pacific.

Dr. Koroiveuta says he already met with the NZ High Commission and the UN while launching the REACH program in Tonga.

He says they are looking at mobilizing the resources.

“The meeting I had with missions in Tonga and Samoa was very very positive, they took it with open arms. They could see that the service is reaching out to the people. They could see that REACH is able to take care of the unmet challenges that the communities have. Because if you look at it just from the viewpoint that services are available – sure that is for one, but services reaching to the people that is another issue.”

The Fijian government has provided essential services to over 950 rural communities in the last three years through its REACH project