The CAEVAC (Collective Action to End Violence Against Children) Project is a “child-centered” initiative that is aimed at stimulating platforms that will strengthen child protection systems in communities as well as on a national scale, with the assurance of children’s contributions to the revolutionary change incorporated.

The project whose long-term goal is “to ensure that children in Fiji face less harm from all forms of violence,” is implemented in 24 marginalized communities between the Lami, Suva, and Nausori corridors, with the primary objective of reaching 24 community leaders and 24 community development committees.

The CAEVAC Project is being implemented by Save the Children Fiji, funded by New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and supported by Save the Children New Zealand.

The discovery of a dangerous cocktail of toxic substances used by minors raises serious concern for their welfare and safety. It is imperative that adults responsible for the welfare of children recognize the potential repercussions faced by young individuals who consume these harmful substances. Such repercussions encompass a wide range of issues, including academic challenges, detrimental effects on physical and mental health, strained peer relationships, and exposes them to the juvenile justice system.

Children remain inherently vulnerable to exploitation, particularly when it comes to illicit drugs and associated activities. It is therefore the collective responsibility of society to safeguard children from such dangerous activities. Save the Children Fiji calls upon all parents and guardians to remain alert and proactive and swiftly respond to any noticeable changes in the behavior or well-being of their children.

The protection of our children is paramount, and it is incumbent upon us as a community to create a safe and nurturing environment for their growth and development. Save the Children Fiji urges immediate action by relevant authorities to prosecute those who are involved in the sale of tobacco products to minors and implores parents and guardians to actively engage with their children, providing guidance and support to safeguard their well-being.

Call the Child Helpline toll-free number 1325 available 24/7 or reach out to Save the Children Fiji on 3313178 to report any concerns with children.  

For media queries please contact:
Communications
kelly.vacala@savethechildren.org
vika.ramara@savethechildren.org

Mereseini is a 57-year-old widow. She lives in the province of Macuata in Vanua Levu with her youngest of four daughters and six-year-old grandson.

During the height of the pandemic, Mereseni’s eldest daughter passed away from Cancer. She left behind her son, who now lives with Mereseni. This was a very hard loss for the family who were already dealing with the impacts of COVID-19.

At an elderly age, Mereseini still provides for her family and has also taken on the responsibility of raising her grandson.

“My youngest daughter is still in school. She’s in Year 12 and she lives with me together with my grandson. My twins also girls, are working and we have been struggling for a very long time, but COVID-19 made it worse,” she explains.

As the sole provider for her family, Mereseini struggles to keep up with home expenses. She says “people from the community sometimes came to visit and offer to help us with bills and food. I am always grateful for their kindness.”

To make things worse, the family were already trying to recover from the impacts of Tropical Cyclone Harold in April 2020 and a subsequent flood, which badly damaged their home. Mereseini says they had to fix their home and cleaning up the damage took weeks.

When the pandemic first arrived their community, the family and some members of the community turned to the land and a nearby river for food.

Mereseini says the community was able to cope initially. “We didn’t think much about it because covid-19 cases were increasing in Viti Levu – the main island,” she says. “But slowly people here in the Vanua Levu started to get sick. Businesses closed, restrictions were implemented and jobs affected,” Mereseini remembers.

“I am grateful that I live in a caring community because when that happened, everyone lends a hand and that’s how we got through that,” she remembers. “But when covid-19 cases started increasing in this division it was a bit difficult for everyone,” Mereseini says.

It was not long until Mereseini heard about Save the Children’s Fiji Cash Assistance Program from someone within the community. She immediately decided to apply for assistance and received her first $200FJD payment in November 2021.

The grandmother remembers how she felt receiving her first assistance. “I knew this was God’s helping hand to us. I could pay for my electricity and water bill without having to worry about it for a while and also buy food for my daughter and grandson.”

When the remaining two payments came through, Mereseini prioritised education for her children. She used a portion of the money to buy stationery for her daughter in Year 12 and clothes for her grandson.

She was also able to invest in an ice block business, using the cash transfer to buy the moulds and ingredients she needed. Mereseini says she can sell up to 40 ice blocks in a day.

“I sell my ice blocks for 55cents each. It has generated a lot of interest and kids love buying them. I just buy the ingredients for the ice blocks, like milk, sugar, food colouring, moulds and I just make it at home.”

Mereseini further explained that she also owns a small piece of land that is being leased.

 “I get a little bit of payment from there annually but it’s still not enough to get through life sometimes.” she says.

Just like other villagers, Mereseini is committed to her church obligation, and with every $200 received, ten percent goes towards her tithe. She believes having faith is key to a good future.

“We believe in God. Whatever comes we’ll accept it as that. We do pray every day.” she says

Mereseini is thankful to Save the Children Australia and the project team for stepping in to assist when they needed it the most.

Save the Children has already provided cash transfers to over 39,000 families in Fiji. Our research shows that 85% of households assisted so far have spent their money on food and basic necessities, and 49% of households put the money towards their children’s education.

Cash is the most efficient and effective way to empower emergency-affected communities – and COVID-19 continues to be the most pressing emergency Fiji faces today. We know cash works, and that the project is already making a huge difference for the lives of vulnerable Fijian families like Mereseini’s.

Saimone explains that opportunities to generate income are limited in the village and his family lives a very basic life. “Here we can’t even plant anymore because the soil is mixed with the sea. Just a little bit we can plant cassava, just for us to eat,” he says. “The main source here is from the sea, which is fishing. But when it’s bad weather then we have to stay [home].”

When Covid-19 hit and the village went into lockdown, Saimone was no longer able to travel to sell the extra fish he catches in local markets. While he was happy for the chance to spend more time with his young family, Saimone struggled to make ends meet as the pandemic worsened.

Families like Saimone’s have been receiving help from Save the Children’s cash transfer project. The project team use mobile money to distribute three monthly payments of $200FJD ($130 AUD) to people who have been financially impacted by Covid-19, with a particular focus on supporting households with children under five years of age.

Saimone says that for his young family, the support came just in time. Marica was pregnant with baby Saula. She had just gone into labour and been admitted to hospital when Saimone’s neighbour told him about Save the Children’s cash transfer project.

“My wife was pregnant at that time. I came back from spearfishing one night and she told me she has to go to the hospital,” he explains. “I didn’t have any money in my pocket. Someone just came here and told me about your group, so I went to fill in the form.”

“The whole of Saturday and Sunday I was thinking about where I can get the money. I can’t just go and borrow,” he explains. “I can’t do that – I don’t have that kind of life.”

Saimone remembers what happened next vividly, “I had a call that my wife gave birth. I don’t even have one dollar in my pocket.” It was only when he got to the hospital that the young father was able to breathe a sigh of relief. “I picked up my phone, then I saw the message that I got the $200,” he says.

“That cash, I spent on the baby,” Saimone says, explaining that he purchased nappies and paid for a taxi to bring Marica and baby Saula home. “During those three or four days, they were in the hospital I could go and look after them and bring food for them during lunch hour and at dinner time.”

Saimone says the cash transfer helped him to give Saula a better start in life and strengthened the family’s resilience during a difficult period. “I was proud that I can get that money on time and I can see my baby boy – just to bring him what he needed,” he says.

Save the Children has already provided cash transfers to over 39,000 families like Saimone’s. Our research shows that 85% of households assisted so far have spent their money on food and other basic needs and 49% of households put the money towards their children’s education.

Cash is the most efficient and effective way to empower emergency-affected communities – and COVID-19 continues to be the most pressing emergency Fiji faces today. We know cash works, and that the project is already making a huge difference for the lives of vulnerable families across Fiji.

Disclaimer: The project is now closed and we are no longer accepting any applications for this program.

More than $23million FJD was directly transferred to these families using M-Paisa and mycash wallet. This is a milestone achievement for Save the Children. 

The project provided cash transfers to vulnerable families who had lost income due to Covid-19, prioritizing single-parent households and those with young children, elderly or unwell people, persons with disability, and survivors of gender-based violence.

Save the Children worked through a rigorous process with the Fijian government and civil society partners to identify households eligible for cash transfers.

The cash transfers gave households across Fiji the flexibility to buy what they need most to meet their basic needs.

Recipient Lusiana, a mother of four children, said the cash transfers gave them hope at a time when they had no income.

 “The challenges that I am facing right now are mainly financial because my husband has been laid off from work,” said Lusiana, explaining they had to silently struggle to provide for their children.

In November, last year while Lusiana’s husband was out looking for work, field officers from the local electricity company came to visit their family home. They told her they needed to disconnect the family’s power, as their bills had not been paid on time. 

Luckily, that very day the first transfer from Save the Children arrived. Lusiana immediately paid off the power, stopping it from being disconnected. Remembering how the transfer came just in time, Lusiana said, “when I received it, I went to pay our bill. It was $42 and I also bought some food.”

Another recipient, Maria – a single mother of six said she was able to buy food and school supplies for her children with the cash transfers.

“I was happy, and I told my kids this is the answer, this is the answer for us,” Maria says, remembering how she felt when the transfer arrived. “I buy the food and my kids’ school things – the bag, the shoes, and all the school stuff,” she explained.

Maria says the cash transfers have also helped her support the children’s grandparents to go to the hospital to manage their health conditions.

Launched in 2020 in partnership with Save the Children Australia, the Fiji Cash Assistance project assisted a total of 16,772 households in phase 1 of the program.

With the continued support and generosity of an anonymous philanthropic donor, Save the Children extended the program for another six months to assist an additional 22,228 households.

In phase 2, households received three monthly payments of $200. Cash transfers were made in November and December last year with the final payment in January 2022.

Having reached its target of 39,000 households the cash transfer component of the project had now concluded.

“Providing cash assistance to 39000 households is a milestone achievement for Save the Children and our implementing partners. We know that families were finding it very difficult to purchase food, pay bills and cater for their children’s educational needs during the various Covid-19 waves experienced in Fiji. Therefore, the Cash payments to 39000 households means that 195,000 individuals and 120,000 children’s lives improved and they were able to meet their basic needs under extremely challenging circumstances,” said Save the Children Fiji CEO, Shairana Ali. 

“We have seen the positive impact of cash-based interventions during humanitarian response and as such, Save the Children will continue advocating for and championing such programs to ensure timely and immediate protection measures for children affected by humanitarian crisis.” 

Project staff are conducting a post-distribution monitoring exercise to understand how the cash support has helped families during this challenging time. 

Please visit our website www.savethechildren.org.fj click on events and media and latest news to obtain the latest news to obtain more information on the program.

Disclaimer: The project is now closed and we are not accepting any applications for this program.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Fiji: Kelly.Vacala@savethechildren.org or coletta.king@savethechildren.org

More than $23million FJD was directly transferred to these families using M-Paisa and mycash wallet. This is a milestone achievement for Save the Children. 

The project provided cash transfers to vulnerable families who had lost income due to Covid-19, prioritizing single-parent households and those with young children, elderly or unwell people, persons with disability, and survivors of gender-based violence.

Save the Children worked through a rigorous process with the Fijian government and civil society partners to identify households eligible for cash transfers.

The cash transfers gave households across Fiji the flexibility to buy what they need most to meet their basic needs.

Recipient Lusiana, a mother of four children, said the cash transfers gave them hope at a time when they had no income.

 “The challenges that I am facing right now are mainly financial because my husband has been laid off from work,” said Lusiana, explaining they had to silently struggle to provide for their children.

In November, last year while Lusiana’s husband was out looking for work, field officers from the local electricity company came to visit their family home. They told her they needed to disconnect the family’s power, as their bills had not been paid on time. 

Luckily, that very day the first transfer from Save the Children arrived. Lusiana immediately paid off the power, stopping it from being disconnected. Remembering how the transfer came just in time, Lusiana said, “when I received it, I went to pay our bill. It was $42 and I also bought some food.”

Another recipient, Maria – a single mother of six said she was able to buy food and school supplies for her children with the cash transfers.

“I was happy, and I told my kids this is the answer, this is the answer for us,” Maria says, remembering how she felt when the transfer arrived. “I buy the food and my kids’ school things – the bag, the shoes, and all the school stuff,” she explained.

Maria says the cash transfers have also helped her support the children’s grandparents to go to the hospital to manage their health conditions.

Launched in 2020 in partnership with Save the Children Australia, the Fiji Cash Assistance project assisted a total of 16,772 households in phase 1 of the program.

With the continued support and generosity of an anonymous philanthropic donor, Save the Children extended the program for another six months to assist an additional 22,228 households.

In phase 2, households received three monthly payments of $200. Cash transfers were made in November and December last year with the final payment in January 2022.

Having reached its target of 39,000 households the cash transfer component of the project had now concluded.

“Providing cash assistance to 39000 households is a milestone achievement for Save the Children and our implementing partners. We know that families were finding it very difficult to purchase food, pay bills and cater for their children’s educational needs during the various Covid-19 waves experienced in Fiji. Therefore, the Cash payments to 39000 households means that 195,000 individuals and 120,000 children’s lives improved and they were able to meet their basic needs under extremely challenging circumstances,” said Save the Children Fiji CEO, Shairana Ali. 

“We have seen the positive impact of cash-based interventions during humanitarian response and as such, Save the Children will continue advocating for and championing such programs to ensure timely and immediate protection measures for children affected by humanitarian crisis.” 

Project staff are conducting a post-distribution monitoring exercise to understand how the cash support has helped families during this challenging time. 

Please visit our website www.savethechildren.org.fj click on events and media and latest news to obtain the latest news to obtain more information on the program.

Disclaimer: The project is now closed and we are not accepting any applications for this program.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Fiji: Kelly.Vacala@savethechildren.org or coletta.king@savethechildren.org

1. Raise girls’ voices by supporting their right to safe and meaningful participation in all public decision-making
   throughout the COVID-19 response and through delivery of the Generation Equality Global Acceleration Plan for
   Gender Equality. Girls have a critical role to play in the design and implementation of policy and accountability
   processes essential to preventing and building resilience against ongoing and future crises.
2. Address immediate and ongoing risks of genderbased violence, including child marriage, by putting
   girls’ rights and gender equality at the centre of COVID-19 and humanitarian responses, development policy, and wider efforts to build forward better.
3. Fulfil their duty to guarantee the rights of girls in all their diversity by conducting and applying intersectional
   gender and power analyses to inform evidence-based and inclusive policy and programme responses. Safe and ethical
4. data collection must be improved to better understand and respond in real-time to the impacts of COVID-19 and compounding economic, climate, and conflict-related crises.

4. Ensure the continued commitment and implementation of a principled humanitarian response in all humanitarian settings, including the safe and unrestricted participation of female humanitarian staff in needs assessments, design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of all humanitarian services at every level.
   Without the full participation of female staff, humanitarian assistance will not be delivered in a manner that upholds
   core humanitarian principles and standards and will be ineffective in addressing girls’ needs.
5. Join the Generation Equality movement by making fully-resourced commitments to support delivery of
   the Global Acceleration Plan for Gender Equality and ensure accountability for delivery to girls through age disaggregated targets. Report : http://www.savethechildren.org.fj/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/sc_globalgirlhoodreport2021_EMABRGOED_11OCT.pdf

http://www.savethechildren.org.fj/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/10-11-2021_Press-release_Day-of-the-Girl_7-Oct.docx

Save the Children is no ordinary not-for-profit.

We’re ambitious, creative and outspoken. We stand up for children’s rights. We want all children to be educated, healthy and live a life free from violence. We run programs in Australia and overseas and, if there’s a disaster – like an earthquake, drought or conflict – we are there on the ground.

Where you come in:

In this full-time position, based somewhere in Australia or the Pacific (we’re flexible as we want the best person for the job irrespective of where you live), you will influence strategic direction and ensure high quality programming for Save the Children across the Pacific. You will be part of our International Program Department and report to the Pacific Regional Director of Program Development and Quality.

You will make an impact by:

• Delivering against our regional Pacific strategy
• Overseeing evidence generation, research, and learning initiatives in the Pacific
• Promoting an organisational culture and developing a systematic process for knowledge sharing and cross learning
• Providing high quality technical assistance to our Pacific Country Offices
• Using our evidence to expand our child-focussed programs and impact

Does this sound like you?

You understand how the Pacific community, through policies and programs, addresses the challenges delivering results for children and keep abreast of the latest innovations. You love learning and are passionate about equipping teams to generate and use evidence to improve the impact of our work. Thriving in complex coordination settings, you are equally capable in strategic thinking and the finer details of delivering quality programs.

This role requires:

• A commitment to using data, evidence, and program learning to continuously improve program outcomes
• Strong analytical skills, including working with research in areas relevant to Save the Children’s agenda
• Excellent collaboration and influencing skills
• Tertiary level qualifications in a related field

Working at Save the Children is more than just a job.

It’s the feeling of knowing that your work is contributing to making the world a better place for children and working with others who feel the same. We offer a competitive salary, a friendly and flexible work environment, and great career opportunities – both locally and internationally.

Sound interesting?

We’d love to hear from you. Submit your cover letter and resume by clicking on one of the buttons in the ‘Apply’ section.

For further information and a job description, please visit the following link:

http://www.savethechildren.org.fj/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Pacific-Regional-Evidence-and-Learning-Advisor.pdf

Position Description – Pacific Regional Evidence and Learning Advisor

To apply, please email a covering letter addressing key areas of accountability (maximum two pages) together with a CV to Vacancy.Fiji@savethechildren.org

Applications close Friday 3rd September 2021

As part of the selection process, you may be required to undergo a pre-employment medical assessment and psychometric assessment to help us determine your suitability for the role.

At Save the Children, we seek a workforce that is as diverse as our society – in race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexuality, disability, cultures and beliefs – and reflects the communities we work in. We believe diversity and inclusion are fundamental to our culture and core values and we demonstrate this commitment through all our employment practices. Our inclusive workplace culture contributes to making Save the Children a great place to work. We encourage people from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds to apply.

Save the Children Australia is a child-safe organisation. All employees are required to undergo a National Police Check, a Working with Children Check (where necessary), and sign our Child Safeguarding Policy and Code of Conduct.

Save the Children Australia supports the Inter-Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. If you are successful in your application, we will request consent to access HR held information pertaining to your last 5 years of employment. You can read about the Scheme and our commitment to Safeguarding here.

Save the Children is grateful to the Fiji Water Foundation for the FJD100,000 grant that will support SC Fiji in the completion of our Humanitarian Response WASH Rehabilitation in selected schools in Ra.

Anna Cowley finishes at the 2018 Suva Marathon as the first female to finish the Full Marathon.

Runners at the 2018 Suva Marathon had an option to select a Charity of Choice to support. Save the Children was fortunate to be the Charity of Choice for Marathon Runner Anna Cowley for the second time. In total, Save the Children was able to raise just over $1600,which will support the work we are doing in communities and in schools in addressing violence against children. In 2017, through the Suva Marathon, we were able to raise $2,000, which helped us provide 50 needy children with a school bag kit at the start of the 2018 school year.