Jovesa Naituku says the COVID-19 pandemic should make everyone rethink their priorities in life.
The Packleader Pacific Fiji learning and development co-coordinator said Fijians were known to be family-oriented people and the pursuit of better living and modernisation should never overshadow this trait.
The Vunimono Village, Tailevu, native said one thing he learnt from the day the coronavirus was declared a pandemic was to value time with loved ones.
“Life is too short and we need to support each other during this crisis,” the 31-year-old said.
“I look up to my parents as my motivators, seeing them smile makes my day. I know that whatever I am doing now, it’s all for them.
“I am fortunate enough to have them both alive now guiding us through our lives every day.”
Mr Naituku joined Packleader Pacific in 2013, an Australian firm which provides outsourcing solutions and telemarketing operations for businesses.
His area of expertise is facilitating workshops, conducting inductions and up-skill training, and product and system training of agents who join the organisation.
“I identify training in areas which are needed and I come up with training strategies to counter and analyse the sort of training required.”
Apart from his Packleader work, Mr Naituku is also involved in community building and recently partnered with Shalom Warriors, a registered not-for-profit organisation, based in Brisbane, Australia, on a project where they built a home for an underprivileged family in Nausori.
He has also done community education work and facilitated Saturday classes for students sitting for external exams.
Mr Naituku is also part of the Bible Society Fiji and plays an active role in the fundraising committee.
As a devoted Christian, he believes that faith can play a key role in establishing the paths that youth choose to take and influence the decisions they made.
One of his biggest spiritual mentors, internationally renown Christian apologist Ravi Zacharias, who passed away this week, left an indelible impression on the youngster.
“One of his quotes, which is my favourite and I quote, ‘love is hard work, it is the hardest work I know of, work from which you are never entitled to take a vacation’.”
Mr Naituku has had an extensive career in various fields, having worked for institutions such as Fiji TV, OCIS, Pacific Building Solutions, IP Fiji Ltd and UN AIDS.
He graduated at the Fiji Institute of Technology (now Fiji National University) in journalism, public relations and advocacy.
He is the third youngest of seven siblings.
