The Fiji Times

SAN building gets a facelift

- By WATA SHAW

DOZENS of Selfless Fiji volunteers geared themselves up with paint and brushes gathered to give the Survival Advocacy Network (SAN) building in Nabua, Suva a fresh new coat and look last Saturday.

The group, in collaborat­ion with Rotary Club of Suva, spent more than 10 hours painting the building as part of their community engagement projects for 2023.

Selfless Fiji founder Solomone Rabuli said since the group’s establishm­ent in 2021, the membership had increased from 20 to 400.

He said the members were passionate about volunteeri­ng in the community and decided to offer their services to SAN.

“We formally became a non-profit organisati­on three weeks ago and our work is basically encouragin­g our people in our community to serve through volunteeri­sm,” he said.

“Today (Saturday), I am very happy with the response by our volunteers and we are also collaborat­ing with a few other organisati­ons such as Rotary Club and Inspire Fiji for many more projects.”

He said the next project would be at the Home of Compassion for the next two months and Fiji Cancer Society.

“We are looking forward to working with other NGOs, groups, clubs and do a lot of great things in the community.”

Rotary Club Suva president Jane Stevens said they were overwhelme­d with the support by both the groups’ volunteers.

“Our theme for this year is giving back, so for Rotary Club this is something that we are passionate about,” she said.

“We not only supported this project in terms of funding but also hands on as well which is why some of us are here today.

“We wanted to do a whole collaborat­ion with Selfless Fiji.”

SAN project co-ordinator Sesenieli Naitala said the building was a safe space and haven for sex workers, street kids and drug addicts to recover.

She lauded the work done by both groups and urged more organisati­ons to help the marginalis­ed in Fiji.

We formally became a non-profit organisati­on three weeks ago and our work is basically encouragin­g our people in our community to serve through volunteeri­sm – Solomone Rabuli

 ?? Picture: JONACANI LALAKOBAU ?? Talei Tuiketei and other volunteers busy at work last Saturday.
Picture: JONACANI LALAKOBAU Talei Tuiketei and other volunteers busy at work last Saturday.
 ?? Picture: JONACANI LALAKOBAU ?? Jane Stephens paints the walls of the Survival Advocacy Network building in Nabua, Suva last Saturday.
Picture: JONACANI LALAKOBAU Jane Stephens paints the walls of the Survival Advocacy Network building in Nabua, Suva last Saturday.

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