Bykeitou Informal Settlement cleans up community for Diwali with assistance from PRF

In an effort to bring joy and hope to the residents of Bykeitou Informal Settlement in Maqbool Road, Nasinu this Diwali, the Pacific Recycling Foundation organised a clean-up of the community.

PRF says over 1,200kg of general waste and over 700kg of recyclables were collected from the settlement, mainly from the creek that runs next to the houses.

Pacific Recycling Foundation founder Amitesh Deo says they also organised a week-long comprehensive training program for 24 recycling advocates of Bykeitou Settlement and Kabutri Drive on best practices for recycling, human rights, gender-based violence, gender disparity, various forms of abuse, consumer rights and freedom, health issues, and access to basic health services as well as education on cancer.

The week-long training included sessions by the Fiji Women’s Crisis Center, Fiji Cancer Society, and Consumer Council of Fiji. The Bank of the South Pacific and Fiji National Provident Fund also came on board to provide financial literacy training to the advocates.

Bykeitou Settlement recycling advocate Ana Vakasawaqa says as a single mother, seeing two of her boys engage in extensive training on gender-based violence, gender disparity, and human rights filled her with pride.

Bykeitou Settlement Sakapo Waqa says the sessions were enlightening, as he had not been aware that men could also be diagnosed with breast cancer.

Waqa affirmed his commitment to taking back the knowledge to the youth in the community, particularly emphasising the importance of raising awareness among males.

Meanwhile, Deo stressed we need to take responsibility for environmental preservation seriously, especially during festive occasions.

The PRF founder also says this Diwali, let's shine a light on looking beyond ourselves and embrace environmental responsibility and sustainability as our collective duty.

He says it's time for the world to evolve from simply cleaning our own houses to collectively cleaning up and caring for our environment to make a meaningful impact.