Shania Shayal Prasad 
Jai Raji
87-year-old Jai Raji who hails from Wainikoro, Labasa shares the hard-ships endured by those brought to Fiji as indentured laborers.
As Fiji prepares to mark the 146th Girmit Commemoration from tomorrow, Raji born during the height of the indenture system, reflects on a life shaped by both personal struggles and the broader challenges faced by indentured laborers.
Raji says girmitiyas played a vital role in Fiji’s development.
“I worked the land, just as many of those who came before me did, spending long hours in the fields.”
Raji says she was married at the age of 14, and growing up without the support of parents, her early years were marked by loss and hardship.
The 2025 Girmit Day celebration will be held in Labasa from tomorrow until Monday.
“The theme for this year’s celebration is “Preserving the Past, Envisioning the Future.”
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