Two months ago, the Christian Mission Fellowship International (CMFI) Draubuta youths embarked on a new business venture, establishing the Highland Youth Cooperative Store in the highlands of Navosa — about 81 kilometres inland from Sigatoka Town.
Today, the store stands as a testament to the youths’ hard work, determination, and commitment to improving their community’s quality of life.
The cooperative provides villagers with easy access to staple foods and essential grocery items, eliminating the need to travel long distances to purchase goods from town.
Given Draubuta’s remote location, the establishment of this store marks a significant step forward for residents who cannot afford to make frequent trips to urban centres for basic supplies.
By bringing essential items closer to home, the new shop not only enhances convenience but also helps villagers save both time and money.
Funds to start the business
Like any plan to start a new business, there needs to be funds.
The youths, who have a successful Starlink business service in the village used the money they made to start their cooperative.
“We signed with the cooperative and had more than $2000 from our Starlink business which we decided should be used for the shop,” CMFI Draubuta Youth president, Viliame Gaso Junior said.
“We not only bought products to sell from the $2000 but also brought another Starlink internet WIFI equipment that would better our existing Starlink service.
“As you can see, we now operate both the shop and our Starlink here, both the business have become popular since we started.
Turning connection into opportunity
Every big dream begins with a small idea — and for the youths of Draubuta, that idea was to create opportunities right in their own village.
Like any business, theirs needed funding. But instead of looking elsewhere, the young entrepreneurs turned to something they had already built with pride — their successful Starlink internet service.
The profits from their Starlink business gave the youths a starting point, shared CMFI Draubuta Youth president, Viliame Gaso Junior.”We signed up with the cooperative and had more than $2,000 from our Starlink business, which we decided to use to start the shop,” he said.
With determination and teamwork, they invested the funds not only in buying products to sell, but also in purchasing another Starlink Wi-Fi unit to strengthen their existing internet service.
“As you can see, we now operate both the shop and our Starlink here,” Viliame said with pride. “Both businesses have become very popular since we started.”
What began as a simple internet venture has now grown into a symbol of innovation, resilience, and unity — proof that when young people work together and believe in their vision, they can turn connection into opportunity.
Acquiring the shop space
As the funds were available to start their business, the youths had an issue they had to tackle – finding the right space to set up shop in
the village.
As there were several other successful canteens already established in the village, the youths had to find a space that was accessible and was suitable to rent.
“When we started planning, we had a space that we wanted to use. It was a home that was left vacant for a few years.
“We approached the homeowner who now lives in the West and discussed plans to use his home as our cooperative space.
“Through prayers and fasting, we were given the green light to rent the space for $50.
“We are so grateful to the owner for trusting us to set up shop here.”
Preparation
After the youths had signed the agreement on the property, they quickly prepared the space for business.
The youths made it their priority to clean the property and make it suitable for business.
“Having a clean store is important because we store food, so the youths have worked hard to clean and to keep the shop neat and tidy.”
When storing food items, the youths had to consider the temperature. Food items were stored away from pests. They have ensured there was proper stock rotation in the shop..
“When we signed up for the cooperative, we had undergone training, so that has helped us a lot
The shop sells staple foods such as rice, sugar, flour, potatoes, garlic, onions, canned goods, cooking oil, toilet paper, cleaning products, snacks, and other everyday essentials needed in the village.
He said the initial goal was to create a solid business plan and bring it to life — something they are now proud to see happening.
Future plans
Beyond the cooperative, the youth remain deeply committed to their ventures, including the solesolevaki initiative, the Starlink internet business, and farming.
The successful launch of their shop has not slowed them down; they continue to pursue these projects with the same passion and dedication, determined to make a difference in their village.
“We want the youth to be part of something meaningful, something that drives community development,” they say.
“This isn’t just about helping our community in the highlands grow—it’s about inspiring our members to pursue their own businesses and projects. We want them to realize that with determination and vision, they can achieve anything, and in doing so, contribute even more to the well-being of the community.”
The cooperative officially opened its doors in September this year, marking the beginning of a journey filled with hope, ambition, and lasting impact.
The canteen re-stock for the week. Picture: MOSIMOSI PRODUCTION
A customer is served at the store. Picture: VILIAME GASO JUNIOR
The store offers internet service. Picture: VILIAME GASO JUNIOR
