EVEN in disruption, community spirit lights the way.
When the road slip near Semo Village, along the Queen’s highway, forced traffic off the main road and onto a narrow inland bypass, the villagers of Nalele in Nadroga did not hesitate — they mobilised.
With vehicles travelling between Sigatoka and Nadi redirected through their community, residents quickly organised themselves to manage the sudden surge of traffic along their usually quiet road.
In the absence of streetlights along the bypass, volunteers relied on cones and reflectors to guide drivers through the darkness.
Shifts began at 5am and stretched to 1am —all unpaid.
“We started this initiative the day after the slip,” villager Savenaca Bokonaqiwa said. “From dawn until after midnight, youths and elders don reflective vests and position cones to coordinate the steady stream of cars and trucks navigating the tight roadway.
“We are just volunteering so we can help everyone travelling on our road reach home safely to their loved ones.”
Support also came from nearby Ciri Settlement, where Indo-Fijian residents joined nightly efforts, strengthening bonds across communities in a shared act of service.
