JAN Atkinson came to Fiji as a tourist, but it did not take long for her to realise she wanted to do more than sit back and be served – she wanted to serve.
A teacher from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, Atkinson spent 28 years teaching in primary schools, working mainly in classrooms while also supporting children with special needs, providing counselling and writing teacher resources.
Her career was driven by a simple passion – helping children grow, academically and emotionally.
“I’ve just been inspired to do that, particularly with children that need it,” she said.
Her own teacher training at Monash University helped shape that approach.
While the theory was comprehensive, Atkinson found the practical experience most valuable — being placed in classrooms, working with children and learning alongside other teachers.
“The most effective for me in developing effective teaching skills and strategies was the actual experience in classrooms and working with my peers,” she said.
Her connection with Fiji began in 2006.
For about four years, while still teaching in Melbourne, she travelled to Fiji four or five times a year, bringing laptops, sewing machines, medical supplies, shoes, bags and other resources for children and communities.
The turning point came during a family holiday. Staying at the Radisson on Denarau Island, Atkinson found herself uncomfortable simply receiving hospitality.
“I wanted to serve the Fiji people. I wanted to give to them rather than them giving to me,” she said.
A conversation with Miri Nadolo, who worked at the hotel’s kids club, led Atkinson to the Nadolo family in Nadi and eventually to Nakavu village.
Over the following years, with the family’s support, she built a small home in the village and continued bringing supplies from Australia.
After five years of travelling back and forth, Atkinson settled in Fiji. She had found a place she loved, among people she wanted to help.
The warm climate and relaxed lifestyle also suited her.
“I really like the warm climate and the relaxed environment, no pressure, no stress, unlike Melbourne,” she said.
For Atkinson, the move was more than a change of country. It was another chapter in a lifelong commitment to children and teaching in rural communities.
n Full story in
The Sunday Times.
