HAPPINESS and excitement welled in the eyes of 19-year-old Fakaofo Tonga.
He was one of 64 recruits who graduated from the Fiji Corrections Academy last month.
After the passing out parade, the Tongan national said he felt overwhelmed, being away from his island home to train as a corrections officer in Fiji.
“I’m feeling really happy at the moment, and I’m so proud of myself and my three fellow Tongans who took part in this training in Fiji, and all that we’ve learned we’ll take back to Tonga,” Mr Tonga said.
“I know it was a bit hard, especially with the four of us being away from our home, but it was worth it.”
Not only did he show perseverance in his Fiji training, he also made a lot of sacrifices to get here.
“The training was crucial,” he said.
“We got up at 4.30am every day… we didn’t have time to rest when we moved, we were only moving from point A to point B, and that was the routine.
“Yes, I miss home, but I am also here with three others, and that has somehow made me feel a bit better.
“I sacrificed time with my family. They also sacrificed a lot for me to be here, and here we are, everything is coming into place.”
The presence of his fellow countrymen not only brought home closer to his heart, he also felt a sense of belonging among his Fijian friends.
“I made friends with a lot of good people in this batch,” he smiled.
“Also, Fiji is quite similar to Tonga, so it’s like my second home now.
“I left high school in 2023 to pursue this career, and I’m thankful to the Fijian Government for collaborating with our government in order for us to come and also be well-trained here in Fiji.”
He said he would take back to Tonga what he learned and would inform his peers about the importance of being professionally trained in the field.
“You need to change your mentality and your heart so that you can be humbled enough to listen to orders and still have that sense of national pride in you if you ever want to join the corrections service,” he advised.
“It will not be easy, but this can benefit you in the long run.
“While we are still young, we need to think of our families, and our families’ future, so that everything will fall into place as you go along achieving your dreams.”
The four Tongan inductees were the first trainees from the region to receive corrections training in Fiji, making it a groundbreaking collaboration between Fiji and Tonga.
