Fiji Kids Target 100 University Graduates: Hoskison

“Due to hardships, the kids would likely have to stay home and work on the farm so we decided to set up a programme to offer educational aid to the neediest in the district,” said Fiji Kids founder Julie Hoskison.

Fiji Kids founder Julie Hoskison is looking at their Tertiary Scholarship Programme assist 100 university graduates . “We would like our Tertiary Scholarship Programme to achieve 100 university graduates who are living happy, fulfilled lives and contributing to the future of Fiji,” she said.

Fiji Kids will help more than 70 students to attain an education this year with the assistance of partners Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort.

“Our vision is that all our students remain in school until year 12 or year 13 and all are able to attend further education in line with their abilities and career goals, whether it be vocational training or a university degree,” she said. Ms Hoskison thanked the support of partners like the

Human Resources team of Outrigger

Fiji Beach Resort.

“The support of

Outrigger Fiji is wonderful, not only in sponsoring our annual Back to

School Day and making sure these needy kids and their families have a great picnic day, but in offering work experience places and traineeships to our graduates,” she said.

“The commitment of Peter Hopgood and the management team to the community is genuine and life-changing.

“Education is the cornerstone of a developed country and Fiji no doubt is edging towards that aspiration in the Pacific and Fiji Kids is one of the programmes helping to achieve this objective.”

She said one of the challenges facing Fiji Kids in the year ahead was to find the funding to purchase a vehicle as vehicle hire was its single biggest overhead and it was essential to be able to reach students in rural areas.

“All told we have funded over 150 students through their primary and secondary school education. We have funded 12 students through further education courses and will offer six more scholarships this year,” she said.

“Our graduates include an accountant, a nurse, a carpenter and several cookery graduates,” Ms Hoskison said. She said donors and supporters were generally people with a connection and love for Fiji, either visitor seeking to help where they see need or ex-Fijians who want to contribute to the betterment of people’s lives in the country they love. Almost all reside overseas.

“It is important that we do not turn away from the fact that some children in Fiji do not have a dry place to sleep or clean water to drink,” she said.

“Their living conditions are unacceptable. They do not participate fully in school because their nutrition is poor and perhaps they know they will soon be working in the fields anyway, so what is the point?

“The poverty we see is unacceptable and when someone cares enough to contribute, a little help can go a long way. We encourage everyone to give what they can whether through Fiji Kids or some other reputable organisation. We all need to take a stand for these kids.” Outrigger Fiji Resort general manager Peter Hopgood thanked the Human Resources Department for its on-going dedication and commitment to this community project.

The poverty we see is unacceptable and when someone cares enough to contribute, a little help can go a long way. We encourage everyone to give what they can whether through Fiji Kids or some other reputable organisation. We all need to take a stand for these kids.” Julie Hoskison Fiji Kids founder