LAKEBA PARISH COMMUNITY CONSULTATION:

Social issues are emerging issues that are challenging societies and families in Fiji. Social
issues including human rights violations, gender inequality, and poverty. Simultaneously, Fiji is vulnerable to climate change and natural disasters.

The Fiji Bureau of Statistics published figure that 75% of the 238,00 people living in extreme poverty in Fiji are iTaukei, and the result was due to rural urban drift in search for better opportunities and education. This alarming result ignited the idea to begin community consultations especially to Parishes located in the maritime zone where high number of families have left their villages for Suva City. Lakeba island in the Lau group recorded a high number of urban drifts.

The island is the tenth largest in Fiji with land area of nearly 60 square kilometres. It is fertile and well watered and encircled by 29-kilometre road. Lakeba island consists of eight villages, known as, Tubou, Levuka, Waciwaci, Waitabu, Nukunuku, Yadrana, Vakano, and Nasaqalau.It has one secondary school (Ratu Mara College), and three primary schools (Ratu Finau Primary, Waciwaci District School, Uluiqalau). The island has a health centre, Police station, and Government departments (Argriculture, Fisheries, Metrology). There are seven religious Bodies (Catholic, Methodist, SDA, Assembly of God, All Nations, Pentecostals and Christian Mission Fellowship).

Caritas Fiji, as the social arm of the Catholic Church intends to associate God in building
communities in solidarity that commits to cultivate a socially and ecologically just society. The Advocacy Coordinator initiated to conduct community consultation to the eight villages in Lakeba Island using the social analysis method to get to the root causes of what is happening around them; by firstly identifying social issues experienced and identifying local solutions.