Fijians coping well despite harsh reality, group observes
Psychologists and counsellors from Corrections providing psychological first aid, support to victims.
Fijians in the Northern Division have shown great resilience and have been able to identify healthy coping strategies amid the challenging conditions.
That’s the observation made by a group made up of psychologists and counsellors from the Fiji Corrections Service, who joined the relief efforts on January 11 to compliment the work of the division through the provision of Psychological First
Aid (PFA) and Psychosocial Support (PSS).
They are psychologists Aisea Rainima, Adi Alisi Tamaibeka and counsellors Onoria Vakaloloma and Lionel Rogers.
Mr Rainima said the older adults were mostly affected and this was the result of incapacity, loss of property, stress and limited support.
“The priority issues that were identified through the assessments were around trauma, loss of property (housing, crops and livestock), food security, access to medical services and the provision of other social services.”
He said there was a lot of emphasis on the need for education assistance because families had insufficient resources to prepare their children for school.
“This is a major contributor to their stress levels and inability to cope,” he said.
“The stories and experiences are almost similar across the division; however individual communities presented their own struggles and specific needs.”
Mr Rainima is from the Western Division, Ms Vakaloloma is from the Suva Corrections, Mr Rogers is from the Naboro Corrections while Adi Alisi is from Labasa.
The team, under the Safety and Protection Cluster, continues to provide these services in the three provinces in the North.
These observations have been recorded and cases referred through the divisional cluster groups for support administration.