Kelera Ditaiki 
[ Source: Meli Rarawa Lovalabu/ Facebook ]
Fiji’s most vulnerable communities are often the ones left behind when it comes to essential government services, but that changes this week for residents of the Vatuwaqa settlement.
Assistant Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister Sakiusa Tubuna today launched the REACH program, an initiative that brings services directly to the people.
Booths lined the settlement this morning as government departments, civil society groups, and partner organizations offered everything from health checks and legal advice to information on social services.
The three-day REACH program, short for Rights, Empowerment, and Cohesion, is now underway in Vatuwaqa, with the aim of bringing government support to the people who need it most.
“We are focusing on communities that are usually left behind and lack access to government services.”
Tubuna says too many in informal communities still struggle to access basic services, and REACH is a direct response to that gap.
Vatuwaqa residents welcomed the government’s initiative, noting that they previously had to travel to town for assistance and inquiries.
The government says this is just the beginning. If successful, the REACH program could expand to more settlements nationwide.
For now, families in Vatuwaqa are seizing the opportunity to get help right at their doorstep.
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