After 11 years and 10 months working as a registered nurse, Maraiah Lolohea made a decisive break from the Ministry of Health, choosing a path far from hospital wards.
On Thursday, she not only graduated as one of the 95 officers from the Fiji Corrections Service basic recruitment training, but she also emerged with the prestigious Commissioner’s Book Prize.
“I resigned in December to join the training,” she said.
She described the decision as something that meant leaving behind stability for uncertainty.
The 14-week course quickly tested her limits. In just the second week, she suffered a fracture to her rib, an injury that could have ended her training, but that became a turning point for her.
“I’m a single mum. I have two children and they are my whys.”
She credited her children for pushing her forward when the odds stacked against her.
The demanding program tested her endurance, but support around her made the difference.
Ms Lolohea said her decision was driven by a desire to grow beyond her profession.
“It’s not monotonous, but I just wanted to get out of my comfort zone.”
Her graduation marks more than a career shift, it is a story of persistence under pressure.
“Fiji Corrections Service is not just for men. Even though it’s a male-dominant profession, women can do it too.”
