ON a still morning in 1975, a nervous young girl walked barefoot along the sandy shoreline of Naroi, her small feet pressing into sand that shimmered like crystals beneath the sun. She was on her way to boarding school on Moala, the first step of a journey that would shape one of Fiji’s most respected women in medicine.
For Dr Eka Buadromo, those early steps toward Yasayasa Moala College marked the start of a life defined by discipline, resilience and perseverance.
As The Fiji Times marks International Women’s Day 2026, her story reflects the quiet strength of Pacific women. Leadership often begins in remote classrooms, on outer islands, and in the hearts of girls determined to rise.
Life at Yasayasa Moala Junior Secondary School in the 1970s was demanding. Facilities were basic. Dormitories in the early years were built from reeds and thatch. Students rose before dawn to the beat of the lali, the wooden slit drum that regulated daily life, and began farm work before lessons started. Two weeks of every term were devoted entirely to tending school gardens, planting, weeding and harvesting cassava to feed the boarding population.
“All those gardens were the works of our small hands – weeding, planting and pulling all year round in all sorts of climate and challenges,” she says.
Homesickness was constant. Meals were simple. Discipline was strict. Yet these hardships shaped her.
One of Dr Buadromo’s earliest struggles was her grasp of the English language. She recalls the teasing faced by those who tried to speak English. “That affected our academic performance and our ability to communicate in English when we left Moala to come for further education in Suva.”
Boarding school life had its lessons beyond academics. Songs and chants taught students about survival, gratitude and teamwork. “I will always treasure the singing and songs that I learnt in the school,” she says. “They were taught by Jope Rabukawaqa in the earlier days of the school and later by Saimone Dobui. I would say YMJSS is a school that composed the most songs.”
The lyrics of those “sere ni koronivuli” reflected the realities of island life. “They told the difficult times we went through fending for food and basic survival, at the same time appreciating the rich resources the island of Moala had.”
Armed with experience, parental guidance and Christian principles, Dr Buadromo left Moala ready to face the world. After high school in Suva, she became the first student nurtured at YMJSS to attend medical school.
“I understand that some of my teachers could not believe I would be able to do that knowing the standard of education in village schools,” she says. “It was all through hard work and perseverance and I thank God for the opportunity to be taught the hard ways of life in school and the life skills that I gained.”
The discipline of boarding life stayed with her. Farming taught teamwork. “When we work together and have each other, no matter how tough the situation may be, we still can achieve.”
Even small acts of mischief offered relief. “Having those stress relievers made us go a long way and I still do that today. In the midst of all seriousness and burden of studies or of work, my mind will just tell me that it’s time for a good break.”
Now, in her later years, Dr Buadromo shares these lessons with her children. “My children will never hear the end of my teachings about ‘good life is never easy’. They know the stories of my growing up and how tough it was.”
Dr Buadromo has gone on to serve as consultant and Head of the Department of Pathology at Colonial War Memorial Hospital, and as Senior Laboratory Advisor at Pacific Community. The footprints she left on Naroi’s sand may have faded, and in their place she has carved a testament to what island girls are capable of achieving when they put their heart and mind to it.
This story has been adapted and condensed from a longer feature originally produced for The Sunday Times, with a focus on International Women’s Day 2026 and the achievements of Dr Eka Buadromo.
Dr Eka Buadromo.
Picture: PACIFIC COMMUNITY (SPC)