Visit to ‘strengthen ties’
A FORMER research biologist and NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) program manager for ocean biology says a visit to Fiji almost two decades ago prompted him to form the Pacific Blue Foundation.
Gregory Mitchell said he personally witnessed the challenges indigenous communities were facing in terms of resource management, and decided to do something about it.
“I formed the not-forprofit foundation in 2004 and registered it two years later, our aim is to carry out projects in maritime islands that will help create sustainable communities,” Mr Mitchell said to this newspaper during a tour of projects established under the Beqa and Yanuca Initiative last week.
“So basically, our goal is to carry out projects that will help villages sustain their culture and natural resources.”
He said under the Beqa and Yanuca Initative, the foundation had implemented several projects on both islands.
These included a biogas plant installed at the Yanuca Island School dining hall and a Green School which included a single greenhouse structure, a shed and a drip irrigation system.
“There are many villages around Fiji, especially in the islands, where they do not have access to modern conveniences like clean water and proper waste water management.”
Mr Mitchell said there were many projects the foundation would like to carry out but they each had their fair share of challenges.
“Most of these challenges are financial — such as external economic crisis and this also impacts the price of materials and equipment we need to carry out our projects.”
Compared with the foundation’s humble beginnings, he said he now had “a strong team of Fijians who can directly come into contact and get projects carried out with the help locals”.
“In the past when we were very small, we used to hire contractors to help carry out these projects but now we have full team with us and we have been able to carry out our work properly.”
Mr Mitchell said the visit to Yanuca Village was to strengthen ties with the people.
“We have developed a rich relationship with the village over the years and we would like to maintain that.”