Victory for Humanity
PON Sami sat looking happily around his living room. The 76-yearold couldn't hide his smile. It was just three weeks before, that he was living in a small shed that barely passed as a house. The conditions were so bad it was not suitable for inhabiting, but he was too poor to do anything about it.
He struggles supporting his grandchildren, Shahil and Supriya Chand on social welfare money and there were times when they went without food, but he said he never lost hope.
As he looked around him, a tear silently rolled down his cheeks. He hurriedly brushed it aside. "Sa rui vinaka na kalou (God is good)," he whispered in the iTaukei language.
"Au sega ni vabauta ni mai tara tu vaqo na noqu vale (I can't believe, my house would be built and freely given to me)," he added.
Fluent in the iTaukei language, Pon Sami described the hardship he faced, as he struggled to support his grandchildren ever since they were little.
But the devout Christian said he never wavered in his faith as he believed God would provide.
When I arrived at his house at Nanuku Settlement, on a Thursday evening last week, there was no one about, but I could hear a prayer being uttered from inside the house.
Adorned in balloons, the corrugated home had a red ribbon tied across the doorway. A woman was seen fervently saying a prayer, blessing the house and its occupants. Beside her sat Pon Sami surrounded by fellow church members, neighbours and a group of special people who were instrumental in making the house project a success.
I call them special because these group of people worked day and night for three weeks; spending their own time, money and resources to give Pon Sami and his family a better quality of life.
This is none other than Razia Mohammed and her round of volunteers from Being Helping Hands Fiji, a non-government organisation that helps the elderly, people living with disabilities and the sick.
Razia came across Pon Sami's situation from the news on radio and television during Diwali last year.
"Nana (grandfather in Hindi) had requested if someone could bring them food and celebrate Diwali with them and it really touched my heart," described Razia.
"So the next morning I came and visited him. When I met him, he was living in very squalid conditions, he had no food to eat, and the condition of the house was so bad. We had a few friends, who came from New Zealand and they came with me to see
nana again. After seeing his situation, we decided that we would build a home for nana."
The eight volunteers did not have any carpentry experience and they faced a lot of hurdles along the way.
"There was Tropical Cyclone Sarai that affected the Fiji Group. These guys were nailing the roof and there were neighbours coming to help. We didn't have a lot of volunteers as well. Then we met Vijay Nand from Royal Homes who was so generous with his time in helping us.
“The neighbour has been our pillar of strength here. We didn't know anyone when we came," said Razia.
It was evident the home was built with love.
Pon Sami's neighbours often visited with tea, snacks and food for the volunteers who worked from 8am and finished as late as 11pm.
"We sacrificed our time away from families and used our personal resources. It was just that initiative to give that feeling to nana to enjoy a standard of life which he deserves," described Razia.
"I got emotional seeing him today when he finally walked into his own home. From the day that I first saw him…requesting for food. When I first visited him with groceries, I didn't expect to be the person actually assisting him in building a house," she said with a smile. "I'm going to miss this place and these people because we had a close bond."
The group through Helping Hands Fiji spent about $15,000 on the project including the utensils, the cupboard, furniture and bed.
"We never thought we would go into housing projects, but if something as such touches your heart and you see someone suffering in silence, you do what you can," shared Razia.
"I'm so glad to be part of nana's voice. Being Helping Hands Fiji is only eight months old,
but I am proud of what we have achieved.
"We have successfully sent 10 people to India for treatment; we are currently taking care of nine people living with disabilities. We take care of them on a daily basis, provide them with food, diapers, medication. We also take care of elderly people who need diapers, wheelchairs and so on.
“If there is a house fire and if there are children affected, we step in to help them with stationery and school stuff including clothes."
A care nurse by profession, Razia quit her job four months ago to concentrate full time on her organisation.
"This work gives me inner peace," she smiled.
"I actually saw my father doing this sort of work growing up and it influenced me a lot.
“When I started Helping Hands Fiji, it wasn't easy. For the first six months I was doing it all on my own. But I was blessed to have people who shared my vision and wanted to help by giving their time, and effort.
"It's never about what you give, but about how you give it and if more people have the heart to help someone who's suffering in silence, Fiji will be a beautiful place to live."
The volunteer team include father and son duo Vijay and Amish Nand of Royal Homes Fiji, a property developer and construction company. The duo provided assistance free of charge.