Young Academics Mereani Koro and Ana Vitau are actively profiling Vanuakula village in the Nasau district of Ra Province in Fiji. This work is foundational to the social justice project they plan to set up in the village soon.
As young academics, Mereani Koro and Ana Vitau are dedicated to a unique approach. They are committed to identifying local solutions, including Indigenous knowledge, to address social issues undermining Vanuakula village’s resilience.
Mereani, a native of Vanuakula, and her fellow YA Ana, from Namosi village in Namosi Province, have a deep and personal connection to the communities they serve. This personal touch adds a unique dimension to their work. The YA Programme coordinated by the Institute for Mission and Research of PTC is structured to allow for both theory and practical learning application. It is currently working with youths between 18 and 35 to address resilience and social justice issues across health, environment, climate change and food and nutritional security.
In profiling Vanuakula village, they gather and document information such as its population, resources, and challenges. By creating this comprehensive profile, they aim to gain a deep understanding of the community’s unique needs and strengths. Based on the profiling findings, they will set up and implement their village project over a year with the village’s support.
The YA programme celebrates the power of youths in changing the history and building resilient communities. This is the second cohort of the programme, which started in 2021.
