Fiji community holiday

Fiji community holiday

How this holiday makes a difference

Environment
We offset all our company flights and transport, and all local carbon emissions (taxis/boats) through Climate Care and encourage members to do the same. We are looking at ways of introducing carbon rationing for the tribe.

On the island we use compost toilets, recycle, use renewable energy only, conduct regular clean-ups of rubbish deposited on the beach, use all waste and grey water on the gardens and use natural cleaning products. The local community is already following our sustainable lead. Our company uses two lap-tops and 4 mobile phones which we charge via solar. We have no office anywhere else in the world!

Community
We have employed over 100 people from the local communities on Mali, with an average of 15 working on the island at any one time, hired local boats and taxis for transport rather than purchasing our own and we buy fish, craft and materials from the neighboring village and market.

We've donated to community projects in Mali (part of the island lease agreement includes an annual $15,000 or £5000 donation to the education and village committees on top of the payment to the landowners), such as supplementing school fees and wiring the generator to the computers. Our foundation has already raised £3000.

You can visit Vorovoro and spend anytime from a week or more living alongside up to 30 other tribe members, the Fijian community and taking part in all aspects of the project. Beginning in September 2006 and with the lease being renewed in 2009 at the land-owners request, the project is ongoing. The project members are living alongside the small indigenous Mali community on Vorovoro to build a simple, sustainable village.

We work in partnership with Chief Tui Mali and local fishing villages, considering the impact of each and every one of the tribe’s actions on these communities. We also support local community projects with both finance and volunteers, with guidance from sustainability experts.

We rotate the villages (4) for different projects, so that different individuals get the chance to work on Vorovoro and earn a wage. We also employ women from rotating villages to help in the kitchen. This rotation system aids the relationship between the two islands and communities.

The online community ensures people learn a lot about the place they are going to before they go and stay involved after they have gone. We promote and raise awareness for sustainable and eco-friendly living and travel as a real option for both tourists and communities.

Fiji community holiday

Reviewed 23 Apr 2009 by Will Russell

1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?

When I arrived at Labassa Airport, the founder of the organisation was at the airport to meet me, he gave me a lot of background information on the company, Vorovoro - the island and the Fijians living there. My two favourite things I did while I was staying on the island was to go reef swimming, a boat took a group of us out to the 3rd largest reef in the world to explore the reef. I spied many, many fish, but the highlight was swimming with 3 black-tipped reef sharks circling about 6-8ft below me. They were so graceful and I never felt in any danger. The reef trip was only $20 Fijian dollars which worked out at about 6.50, so amazing value for money! My other favourite time was when Suva, one of the Fijians on the island explained about the history of the island and took a group of us on a nature walk explaining about the plants and there practical implications in the Fijian culture, plus which plants were edible. It was very informative and I learnt a lot about their culture.

2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?

Bring the lightest clothes like shorts and t-shirts for the day, and long light trousers, long-sleeved t-shirts, socks and shoes for the evening, as there are a lot of sandflies and they will nip at any exposed skin!

3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?

Yes, there was an eco forum every week which covered different aspects of the environment concerning the island and global issues generally. We learnt what best to recycle on the island and how to minimise our impact on the environment. All the tribe had to attend as well as the Fijians living on the island and we were all expected to contribute to the discussion.

4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?

I am already missing the island and will be going back as soon as I am able. The island is a great concept, no where else in Fiji can you learn about the culture and the language from the Fijians themselves, partake in the ritual of Kava (the Fijian National Drink), learn the ancient craft of spear-fishing, meet the chief of the island and learn to do many other activities. Where else in Fiji can you have your own chef and live for 200 pounds a week. Vorovoro will be sadly missed until I return.

Reviewed 08 Feb 2009 by Rebecca Kaepernik

1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?

Feeling like part of a real family on the island, with the Fijians as well as the other volunteers! It was so amazing from the moment I stepped off the boat until the sad morning I left. Also, spending Thanksgiving on the island, I was afraid I might become very homesick, but it was one of the most amazing Thanksgiving celebrations ever as we cooked and decorated all day and thanked the Fijians for welcoming us onto their land, their culture, and into their hearts!

2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?

Bring really strong bug spray!! Not just for mosquitoes! I used bug spray every day but got attacked by ants my second day and ended up needing to be treated for infections after I left the island! Also, don't plan on washing clothes and bring things you really don't mind ruining.

3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?

Yes! Definitely!

4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?

Really amazing! Scale of 1 to 10? Probably an 8 only because of my bug bites and the diet we were fed, but I would definitely go back and already considering plans to!

Reviewed 01 Aug 2008 by Hannah Sinclair

1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?

The most memorable part of the holiday was each dawn and dusk hearing the local children's choir practice. Also meeting amazing people from around the world and getting to know them over the three weeks I stayed. Another highlight was learning local dances and customs.

2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?

Visit the website and read the book first! This holiday is more like a camping holiday so don't go if you are into comfy beds and gourmet meals. If you have a 'can do' attitude and don't mind a bit of dirt, you will love the experience. The motto on the island is "You can do as much or as little as you wish". You could work in the gardens, help build something, learn local dances, or just spend your days swimming, snorkelling, and admiring the scenery. If you're fully vegetarian/vegan, the kitchen staff (not trained cooks) aren't super good at catering for you, but like anything on this island, you have to create your own experience so take along some lentils and some recipes and share your knowledge. This project is all about the interaction of cultures and ideas! Stay for two weeks minimum. Less than that and you'll miss out as some activities don't happen every week. Plus you'll form a better relationship with the other people staying there. Go with an open mind and a heap of patience and you'll have a ball.

3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?

I feel that my holiday benefited local people in that the project has created jobs. The attitude is all about minimising impacts on the environment, from restricting the days people can arrive right down to using sea water to wash dishes, so yes, impacts were minimised!

4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?

It was awesome!