OWS Kids Fiji’s fundraising drive for 2020 began with considerable excitement following the successful inaugural Ambassadors Shave or Save Campaign, held on Friday, August 14, 2020.
The event was hosted by the New Zealand High Commissioner, Jonathan Curr and his wife Fololeni Curr, at their residence.
Mr Curr was supported by the Australian High Commissioner, John Feakes; the British High Commissioner, Paul Welsh; the American Ambassador, John Cella and the French Ambassador, Jean Francois.
The five heads of mission collectively agreed to “put their hair on the line”, by pooling together their resources and network to raise funds for the children diagnosed and living with cancer in Fiji.
$A20,000 ($F30,760) was their target and in the end, after three solid weeks of perseverance, they surpassed their target.
When converted, the total amount raised through the Go Fund Me link by the Ambassadors, with their supporters, families and friends in Fiji and abroad came to about $F31,000.
Through the course of the evening, there were auctions and further cash donations received from invited guests, which amounted to $F10,255.
A substantial amount of $F41,255 was raised from this event alone to kick start the WOWS fundraising initiatives for 2020.
WOWS Kids Fiji is eternally grateful to the five heads of mission for their commitment and sacrifice for a great and worthy cause especially when we are faced with the global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Co-founder and chairperson of WOWS Kids Fiji Sina Kami is grateful and humbled by the love and support shown by the people of Fiji and special friends like our five ambassadors and their family and friends.
She adds that it is difficult times now, but WOWS Kids Fiji has seen the spirit of giving in different forms since our ambassadors SOS event.
WOWS Kids Fiji wishes to thank all of the kind and generous Go Fund Me (GFM) donors for the ambassadors SOS event.
Your cash donations made it possible for our heads of mission to achieve their goal magnificently and the donations are going directly to help our cancer-diagnosed children with their treatments, reviews, medicines, transportation costs, groceries supplies and many more support services that WOWS Kids Fiji provides them with on an annual basis.
GFM donors who wish to get receipts for their donations may email us on adminfj@wowskids.org.
The WOWS Kids Fiji team also wishes to acknowledge our key partners in the successful planning, set-up and management of this Ambassadors SOS event – Courtney Rose and Monika Mala of the NZ High Commission, Darran and Mue Fisher of Weta Coffee and Kimberly Smart for the management of our Go Fund Me link.
This was successfully launched at the Albert Park Pavilion on Wednesday August 12.
Registration for the walk is done online and participants are invited to raise a minimum of $100 as an individual or walk in groups of five and raise a minimum of $500, while walking 50km in 14 days.
The Great WOWS Walk allows for the use of mobile apps to track your 50km and you can challenge family and friends to do their walk and raise funds as well.
Since the launch we have received 30 registrations from Fiji, US, Australia, New Zealand and Tonga. These are mixtures of individuals and groups of families and friends.
We have also attracted a few high profile walkers already like the NZ High Commissioner, Jonathan Curr and five of our Cabinet ministers, Inia Seruiratu Jone Usumate Ifereimi Waqainabete Semi Koroilavesau Mere Vuniwaqa.
We thank one of our special WOWS friends Reverend James Bhagwan, who is taking his commitment to another level by paddling for more than 50km to raise funds for children with cancer.
We have received a total pledge sum of $13,000.
WOWS Saqamoli Drive
The support for our Saqamoli Drive has been overwhelming from businesses houses around the Suva area.
This year, we have had a few more western supporters especially in Nadi and we thank Medisure Pharmacy, Kokomo Aviation and Proverbs Law for assisting WOWS Kids Fiji in the west.
WOWS market day
Will be on Saturday September 5 at the Resource Centre on 251 Rewa St, Samabula, in Suva. Details will be released on our social media platform.
n Sina Kami is the founder of the Walk On Walk Strong (WOWS) Foundation. The views expressed are the author’s and does not necessarily reflect the views of this newspaper.
