Lonely Planet™ · Thorn Tree Forum · 2020 |

# donation to a village in Fiji Country forums / Pacific Islands & Papua New Guinea
jirikoo 07:09 UTC 30 Jan 2007 | I dont want it to sound exhibicionistic but I would like to donate some money by single payment, later maybe regularly, to one village in Fiji. What is the best way how to do it directly, fast [once i act] and without a big fuzz? I m not having an account of the village and doubt it has got one. Maybe through the local council?? Its not the poorest village in Fiji but its clear that they will welcome any contribution. How to do it from Australia in its currency, when I am a third party citizen [non-australian]? Has anyone come across this activity? Thanks. |
Laszlo 11:21 UTC 30 Jan 2007 | I think the easiest way would be simply sending the money via Western Union. All you need is the name of a trusted person from the village, and maybe a test question he/she could answer. Ideally, he/she should present an ID, too. WU has lots of agents in Fiji where they could receive the money within an hour of you paying it. All you have to do is walking to a WU agent in Oz, fill in a form and pay them your money (possibly from a card) plus a service fee. You could even do it online, in which case the fee is 35 AUD for sending 1000. They will receive it in Fijian currency. This is also the way many locals send money to their families in "Third World" countries from the "West". I have also sent money to Indonesia a few times this way. | 1
melbar 12:51 UTC 30 Jan 2007 | you should send a money donation to a body such as fiji red cross, a orphan home, a school, a regonized welfare organization or similar. if you send funds to a village it will either be abused by a few individuals or it will go to the village church... | 2
Laszlo 13:16 UTC 30 Jan 2007 | I fully agree with melbar about how the money may well be spent, but I think in this case Jiri wants to send it to a specific village anyway. It's up to him to decide whether he trusts the locals receiving it about how they spend it. I'd basically consider it a gift for their hospitality, to be spent on whatever they like. If planning on sending an amount on a regular basis, going to check what it is spent on could be a good excuse to revisit Fiji! ;-) | 3
jirikoo 15:46 UTC 30 Jan 2007 | Laszlo [#3], you are perhaps a mind reader!:] Thank you, guys, for your thoughts. I figured to send the money more or less anonymously though, what i meant was sending somehow an amount directly to village without notice, at least to try to, or else maximally to contact some of my friends in Fiji coming back to Ovalau, which I can do so. I know for instance the family of chairman of the council [next to Nausova in Levuka]. But then this way may last long. In short, as to this I dont wanna be in contact with someone of the village - it seems odd to me. At first Its not gonna be a great deal of money but id like get on. | 4
Laszlo 16:01 UTC 30 Jan 2007 | Send a PM to "bulabear" - I think she may be able to help you. | 5
raro 07:14 UTC 31 Jan 2007 | Jirikoo--- You might also consider having someone you trust in Fiji buy specific items for the village, rather than sending cash. Oftentimes a village elder might just keep the funds for himself. | 6
areso765 13:35 UTC 31 Jan 2007 | Raro is right on the money. It doesn't take clairvoyance to see what's gonna happen to your gift. A substancial part of it will be spent on yagona and beer, some on fuel and the rest will go directly to the deeeeep pocket of a matai. In my humble opinion you should consider the following unless you wanna see the money vanish into thin air : buy whatever the village needs most : a new generator, a boat, an outboard motor, etc. , set up a scholarship fund for the brightest kids on the block. Be creative. Good luck! | 7
jirikoo 17:37 UTC 01 Feb 2007 | Thank you guys for opinions. Sorry for revolving still same thoughts. I havent changed my mind. I still want to direct cash money to the village itself. As Laszlo and some others advised me either to delegate a person with the donation or send the money via Western Union directly to a villager. There is also another option but I havent got a clue whether its feasible or not and its sending money directly to the village's account. It may be a question. Do villages in Fiji their own accounts or how do they manage their budget? Anyway, in any case, some of you warned me, that any donation might not come to the right hands - a chief could leave it the for himself or more importantly might not be used for right purpose. I argue, that the best way how to avoid this situation is letting someone else of the villagers know about that reality. I think i will give it time. I would like to realize this within one moth. So I have still time to reconsider that. | 8
raro 06:37 UTC 02 Feb 2007 | Jirikoo-- Your optimism is admirable, but IMHO a bit naive when you say "Anyway, in any case, some of you warned me, that any donation might not come to the right hands - a chief could leave it the for himself or more importantly might not be used for right purpose. I argue, that the best way how to avoid this situation is letting someone else of the villagers know about that reality." The chief is the chief because he runs things. People don't go up against traditional leaders. Yes, other people in the village will learn of the funds, and maybe a dozen will get to share maybe 25% of it. Those will be the village chief's sub-chiefs, and sub-sub-chiefs. Years ago I donated 20 sets of carving tools to a village on an outer island here in the Cooks. I went back 5 years later and 18 of the sets were still in the gov't rep's garage! Three wheelchairs I donated to the hospital for permanently handicapped kids ended up at the homes of members of Parliament, for when a relative twisted an ankle playing rugby. And you expect cold hard cash to get any further than the chief and his inner circle? I don't any of the funds will "trickle down" to the people in the village that might really need it. But hope springs eternal, it could happen. It's just that most people who have lived with these traditional villagers probably have never seen it happen. I guess there's always a first time. | 9
areso765 09:46 UTC 03 Feb 2007 | Oh Jirikoo, Jirikoo... you are either a TROLL or the most optimistic and gullible soul . | 10
agingaquarian 10:45 UTC 03 Feb 2007 | #10 I have to agree. I've been biting my tongue until now, but I can't stand it any longer. I truly find it impossible to believe that anyone is so gullible (stupid?). | 11
jirikoo 05:36 UTC 04 Feb 2007 | #10, 11 - come on guys, why take offence at once? What I thought was if gave the money so that more people in village knew about it the chief wouldnt afford not to trickle it down amongst his own villagers or at least to leave for himself as hinted. OK, I might have been a little naive. After all, its likely I will let someone on the island buy for them a practical thing instead. thank you for your suggestions! | 12