Koro Islander Creates Ripple Effect on Social Media
‘You can make a difference in your life. Don’t take your dreams to the grave’
Aman from Koro is creating a positive impact to his thousands of followers and fans on social media. Aisea Volavola, has been dubbed a social media influencer, blogger and motivational speaker by his followers and fans on Facebook and TikTok.
His blog is famously known as Nai Takitaki Lailai (a small message/bulletin).
He offers personal and business advice, encouragement, educational insights, cultural perspectives, relationship support and more to his followers with videos as long 30 minutes and as short as a minute.
From his breathtaking background on Koro Island with the aqua-coloured sea, the vegetation on his farm to just a plain one at home, Mr Volavola is somewhat the Tony Robbins of the Fiji.
His videos have created quite an impact to thousands of the iTaukei-speaking population.
So much so that while filming his return to the city in the November, he was invited by the President Ratu Wiliame Katonivere to State House.
The President applauded the positive work he was doing and encouraged him to keep making good.
The journey
His journey began when Tropical Cyclone Winston struck the nation on February 2016.
Having graduated the year before from The University of the South Pacific with a Chemistry and Biology degree, Mr Volavola packed up what was of his belongings in the city life and returned to his island home, Koro.
Thinking back, Mr Volavola used to watch how his elders cared for the land.
This impacted him so much that he questioned how the new generation, with the provisions of technology and evident exploitation, he thought to himself it was time to make a change.
“Our ancestors knew how to use the land and I wanted to know the mechanisms used in cultivating and sustaining a land,” he said. “This belief drove me to start setting goals. “I have always had the passion to work with the youths in my village, to encourage them to dream big and set goals,” he said.
Challenges
The 31-year-old said the challenges he has faced have taught him well and to appreciate the little things in life.
With the memories of the devastating cyclones still lingering, he knows that he has many more goals to set in the hope that he can teach someone to be more appreciative just as he’s done so.
“I used worked in the sugarcane field in Maqalevu Nadi, then to Denarau, loading bags for South Sea Cruise before being appointed to be an auditor for South Sea Cruises.”
Working then and saving up wasn’t an option knowing he had a responsibility to his family back in the village.
After working in Nadi he then realised it was time to return to the islands to help his family rebuild.
Before he realized it, he started farming at a larger scale before starting a small fuel shop business and only then did his purpose begin to unfold.
I wondered how many brothers and sisters out there needed a motivational word. Something to help them get through their storms. I realized I had a gift of inspiring people so I put those two together. Aisea Volavola Creator of Nai Takitaki Lailai
Blog
Along his journey and being introduced to the digital world, he has seen how social media has infiltrated every aspect of our lives, especially youths.
“Being a witness to how social media has been used, to the extreme in battering issues that is thought to be a norm, I decided to use the digital platform in creating positive ripple effect across communities in Fiji and to the world.
All that and more culminated with the cration of Nai Takitaki Lailai.
“I wondered how many brothers and sisters out there needed a motivational word. Something to help them get through their storms. I realized I had a gift of inspiring people so I put those two together.”
“I’ve also visited different families and companies in my visit to the mainland and I hope I’ve made an impact in people’s lives.
“You can make a difference in your life. Don’t take your dreams to the grave,” he said.
This article first appeared on our vernacular section, Siga Rarama last month. It garnered so much positive reaction that it prompted us to reproduce the article in English.