Fiji Farming Project

From the August 1998 gathering of Fiji Island Sisters in Wailoku–Suva, came the desire to farm the vacant land around the Home in Suva. The property is 6 acres, including the Residential Home for the elderly, main kitchen, laundry and convent. The area concerned will be about 4 acres. We have had tremendous help from local Government agencies, our Board of Management, and the Friends of the Home.

So far we have planted root crops (dalo, kassava), pineapples, corn, vegetables of several varieties, and flowers. After this experience we believe that root crops and flowers (gingers, helochoniums, anthryiums and orchids) will be the more viable to grow. With the erection of a fence on 2 sides of our property we will be able to move ahead with more confidence and security.

This farming project is aimed at providing supplementary income for our healing ministry among the frail elderly and physically disabled. Not all residents are able to pay for the cost of their care. While our Fiji Government does give us an annual grant–this only covers 35% of our wages for staff. Hence a lot of our time is spent on fund raising.

It is our hope to extend our care to people in their own homes and thus involve the wider community. Our Inservice Education is a big step towards empowering the people to actively participate in this ministry of compassion. As women of Fiji we seek to use our primary resources in such a way that it respects the life of the natural world, as it is part of ‘who we are and what we are about’.

Sr Jane in the centre of the photo

As indigenous women of the Pacific we are integrally linked to our land as it is from here that we receive our identity.’ – from our vision statement.

Sr Jane centre

Update
From 2002, the farming project has come under the Home management. It continues now with the help of the "Fiji Food & Nutrition" project. Fresh vegetables and root crops are sold regularly to assist the Home financially.