EcoTrax Gives Relief Supplies
When their tourism business collapsed from the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Mandy and Howie De Vries knew they couldn’t abandon the people who had been so good to them in their three years in Fiji.
Originally from New Zealand, the couple moved to the Coral Coast in January 2017 to set up EcoTrax, a venture which saw tourists ride tandem velicopedes - rail-mounted bicycles developed by Howie - along an old railway line through Viti Levu’s lesser-visited interior.
After two years in operation, the tours had become so popular they were typically booked out weeks in advance.
The couple had just built a second fleet of velicopedes to keep up with demand when the COVID-19 pandemic brought worldwide travel - and consequently their business - to a screeching halt.
The couple closed the business on March 19 but, with many Fijians struggling to buy essentials after losing their own jobs, they felt they couldn’t just up and leave.
“We have made solid friends here and have great relationships with the villages along our tour path,” Mandy says.
“We felt it would be a betrayal to leave when the going gets tough, especially if we can do some good in the downtime.”
With zero income, the couple drew upon their savings to buy food and hygiene supplies from local shops and transported it to villagers in need on the velicopedes.
“We meet the “headman” or the chief of the village,” Mandy says. “We leave quickly as we don’t want to be any kind of health threat to them or create a gathering of more than 20 people (which tends to happen when we show up).”
Near annihiliation
COVID-19’s near annihilation of Fiji’s tourism sector, which employs more than 150,000 people either directly or indirectly and contributes close to 40 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product, has been labelled “catastrophic” for its economy.
Fijians were delivered another massive blow on April 7 when Tropical Cyclone Harold, by this point a category four storm, slammed into the country, destroying homes and critical infrastructure.
“We have had no power or water for six days.”
While the De Vries have had to lay off all their staff, they have set many of them up in compound houses and will continue to pay their rent, power and water. “They are like family and we have been amazed at their insistence on being involved with any work Howie and I do with regard to delivering help to the local community,” Mandy says. “We have all pitched in to make huge compound gardens to feed us all and anyone else who needs help.”
Since the cyclone, the couple have also transported smaller building materials to villages on the velicopedes and paid for larger items to be delivered by the local hardware store.
3D printing
Howie has also been 3D printing face masks for frontline health workers which, as in many countries, are in short supply. With their funds dwindling rapidly, they have set up a Givealittle page to raise money to help them continue to help the local community.
With their tramline running past 10 villages and Sigatoka Hospital en route to the town of Sigatoka, they say there is much more they could be doing while their business is closed.
Rules to curb spread
Mandy says it has been impossible to abide by many rules designed to curb the spread of the virus since Cyclone Harold wreaked its havoc.
“Prior to the cyclone the hardest thing for us was educating our local community to take the government directions of social distancing and stopping big gatherings and non-essential travel seriously.”
SOURCE: Stuff