Cooperative power – Kabara’s KY6 inspires Government

Note: This article was first published on the print version of the Fiji Times dated August 23, 2025

COOPERATIVES have the power to unlock Fiji’s economic potential.

This was a sentiment echoed by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Cooperatives and MSMEs Manoa Kamikamica while officiating the handover of a brand-new vehicle to the Kabara Yavusa Ono Cooperative Limited (KY6) last week.

Speaking at the handover ceremony, Mr Kamikamica said the coalition Government was committed to strengthening the cooperative movement in Fiji, describing it as a “powerful tool” for economic empowerment.

“Our travels around the world have shown that cooperatives are not only effective in driving grassroot development but are also a proven model to economically empower resource owners,” Mr Kamikamica said.

“We believe this is one of the best ways to unlock Fiji’s potential, and that is why you are seeing a heightened level of support for cooperatives across the country.”

Last week’s handover marked a milestone for KY6 Cooperative, which officially received a Volkswagen Caddy valued at $30,000 which was subsidised through a Government grant assistance program.

The initiative saw two-thirds of the vehicle cost funded by Government, with KY6 covering the remaining one-third – the vehicle was also discounted and supplied by Palas Auto at Karsanji Street in Vatuwaqa.

For the members of the KY6, the new acquisition is more than just a vehicle – it’s a symbol of growth, resilience and a renewed commitment to economic self-sufficiency for their people back Kabara island in the Lau Group.

KY6 Cooperative secretary Kitione Raratabu, originally from originally from Naikeleyaga, Kabara in Lau, said the cooperative was founded to bridge the gap between traditional skills and modern markets, while ensuring that economic benefits flow directly back into their island communities.

“If you’ve been to my village or our island, majority of us don’t have a lot of land, so we struggle and rely heavily on our handicrafts for survival.

“I think WWF did a survey a while ago and what they saw was 80 per cent of our villagers were dependent on handicraft like tanoa, magimagi and other things for income,” Mr Raratabu said, noting that the major challenge was converting those skills into sustainable cash flow.

The Kabara cooperative has been in operation for two years and was formed with a goal of supporting the island’s artisans by managing the logistics, marketing and distribution of their handcrafted goods, a space that’s often dominated by large retailers who set the market price, leaving very little profits for the artisans.

“Our initiative is about changing that narrative, so this is something we created because we want the majority of that benefit to go back to the island, go back to the artisans who are the people making our traditional tanoa and other handcrafts,” he said.

He said the new vehicle will be used primarily to transport raw materials needed for crafting – including finished products, between the wharf and Butoni, KY6’s workshop in Valelevu that the cooperative had christened after Butoni in Kabara, a piece of reserve land that feeds four yavusa on the mainland.

“In the past, we relied on our member’s private vehicle, which meant delays when they were unavailable and now, we have our own dedicated transport, meaning operations can continue uninterrupted, things can flow smoothly and majority of the time will be very helpful,” Mr Raratabu said.

Beyond logistics, the vehicle will also be used to support other initiatives by the cooperative, including coffin making.

Mr Raratabu said the vehicle may double as a hearse to help families during times of need, especially when traditional services are out of reach.

The name ‘KY6’ refers to the six tribes that make up the island district of Kabara, four on the main island and two on nearby Namuka and Komo islands. The cooperative was built upon earlier initiatives such as the ‘Tai Kabara’ a community owned vessel by the Kabara district connecting the island to mainland Fiji, which served not only as a business but a cultural and economic lifeline for the island.

Mr Kamikamica said as the Coalition Government pushes for more strategic investment into cooperatives, the success of KY6 stands as a model of what’s possible when grassroot initiatives are backed by visionary leadership and tangible support.

“This is just the beginning.

“KY6 is proving that when people unite behind a common goal, with the right support structures in place, the results can be transformative not just for individual members of the cooperative but for the entire community.”