At just 19 years old, Chance Rolano Kisoko Waqatabu Wong is already carrying Fiji’s name with pride on the international stage after being appointed Beppu City’s World Ambassador in Japan.
The young Fijian, who is studying International Relations at Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, recently received the honour from Beppu City Hall in recognition of his efforts to connect international students with local residents and promote cultural understanding.
For Wong, the appointment is more than a personal milestone, it is a chance to inspire other young Fijians to dream beyond their circumstances and believe that opportunities can come from the most unexpected places.
Speaking to fijivillage News, Wong, who attended Sacred Heart College in Suva, says his journey has not been without setbacks.
Wong revealed that he had applied to four of Suva’s top secondary schools but was rejected by all of them before being welcomed by Sacred Heart College, formerly known as Cathedral Secondary School.
Rather than allowing the rejection to define him, Wong says it became a turning point that helped shape his character and determination.
Insert: Chance - Man I am today June 23
After high school, he pursued his dream of studying International Relations and was accepted into a university in Japan on scholarship.
Since arriving in Beppu, Wong says he has immersed himself in volunteer work and community activities, eventually helping to bridge the gap between international students and the local Japanese community.
He says one of the key moments in that journey came after meeting a staff member from Beppu City Hall, who encouraged him to get involved in volunteer programmes.
From there, Wong began bringing together fellow international students to assist in local events and activities, including school visits, sports programmes, Christmas events and the Beppu Onsen Festival.
He says the work allowed him to create meaningful links between students from overseas and local residents, while also giving him a stronger appreciation of the role young people can play in building communities.
Wong believes his passion for community work began long before he left Fiji.
He recalled growing up around community outreach through his parents’ work and spending time among street dwellers in Suva as a young child, experiences he says shaped his compassion and sense of service.
Insert: Chance - Be part of community work June 23
Those early experiences, he said, nurtured his heart for people and laid the foundation for the path he is now on.
Despite his growing achievements overseas, Wong says his long-term goal is to return home and serve Fiji.
He hopes to one day become a diplomat to Japan and play a role in strengthening ties between the two countries.
He is also working on ideas to create stronger cultural exchange opportunities between Pacific students and Japanese students, including possible collaborations between the University of the South Pacific and APU.
Wong has a simple message for young people in Fiji: do not be afraid to take chances.
He says one step towards a goal can lead to something far greater, and hopes his own story can be a reminder to young Fijians that no setback has to be the end of the journey.
As he continues his studies in Japan and takes on his new role as Beppu City’s World Ambassador, Wong says he wants to be a beacon of hope for Fiji’s youth and proof that with courage, faith and hard work, it is possible to create something beautiful out of life’s challenges.
