Social media can be used as a tool to bring people together and assist the vulnerable when used properly, says South Pacific Foundation for Sustainable Rural Development co-founder Hosanna Kabakoro.
The foundation was established by Hosanna Kabakoro and her father in 2022.
It has since focussed on water infrastructure for rural and maritime villages with projects in Somosomo, Taveuni, Lamini, Lomanikoro and Naweni.
“We really just put the call-out on social media, and I think it just goes to show the power of social media when it’s used correctly,” Ms Kabakoro said.
“We posted up at 10 o’clock in the morning on boxing day. We got our first donation from Bree Whitaker at around 11, and she brought four boxes.
“By 4pm that day we were able to make 120 packs the first day, which were distributed to Saint Andrews and Korovuto and the ration was made for Saioni.”
The flooded roads at Saioni made it difficult for volunteers to visit the community and distribute rations.
Ms Kabakoro and the Project and Communications/Social Media manager, Angeline Tikoitoga, put together a list of items to ensure recipients received the same rations.
“The response from Fijians all over has been that it’s just such an example of what a sense of community is. A lot of people want to reach out, they want to help. Sometimes they just don’t know where to direct their help.”
Ms Kabakoro commended Fijian influencer Shania Singh and her followers for single-handedly raising over $3000, which they paid for over a hundred full packs, comprising flour, rice, sugar, noodles, tea, soap, pads, nappies.
“That was just her saying, hey, this is what the South Pacific Foundation is doing, and we’re a non-profit organisation that runs fully off donations from the public.”
Ms Kabakoro said 90 per cent of the donations that were dropped off came from people between the ages of 18 and 35.
“It was really cool to see how social media really mobilised the younger generation, and it was just this movement that went through Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and young people got really involved.”
As families gradually leave the evacuation centres to head home, Ms Kabakoro said, volunteers would continue delivering rations to families that were unable to make it to the centres.
“We’ve got 35 packs currently at the DO’s office in Lautoka along with bedsheets and cartons of water, and today we’re going to another shop after that to fill this whole table up.”
Other corporate sponsors that helped were Aqua Pacific, Aqua Safe, Hot Bread Kitchen, Fiji Chemicals Ltd, Mercure, Hilton Fiji, and the Hive Bar.
A New Zealand influencer, known by her username as Whatkatydidnext, also raised enough money to supply baby formula, mattresses and pillows for the families that were evacuated to Korovuto.
Ms Kabakoro said the foundation was working with the Divisional Commissioner Western’s office and the police to coordinate assistance efforts and avoid double dipping.
