The Communications Fiji Limited Foundation has donated $2,500 to support Baka Books’ mission to promote a strong reading culture among children and young people in Fiji, including prize money for its Summer Reading Challenge and additional funding to purchase more books for participants.
CFL Foundation representative and LegendFM Breakfast Show host, Alex Elbourne says the foundation was created to deepen the company’s connection with communities and support initiatives that reflect the values and audiences of its media brands.
INSERT: Alex on donaton 29th Dec
He says supporting Baka Books aligns with CFL’s commitment to education and long-term community development.
Baka Books founder, Akanisi Nabalarua welcomed the support, and says the reading challenge has steadily grown over the past year due to strong community involvement.
She explained that the store sells new books, gifts, and a wide range of second-hand books, while also offering a welcoming space where customers can sit, read, and explore before purchasing.
She adds that the shop sources new books mainly from Australia and New Zealand, with a strong focus on Pacific and local authors, while its second-hand collection, built through community donations, garage sales, and sourcing from within and beyond Suva, helps keep prices affordable.
Nabalarua says one of Baka Books’ key community initiatives is the Summer Reading Challenge, where young readers, including children as young as six, can participate with the support of parents or guardians.
INSERT: Nabalarua on reading challenge 29th Dec
Nabalarua says the goal is not to compete with phone screens, but to offer children another space where they feel welcome, inspired and free to imagine.
She is encouraging parents to read with their children, saying that shared reading builds connection and turns it into a bonding moment rather than a task.
The purpose of the CFL Foundation is to deliver meaningful and measurable benefits to communities across Fiji, and to build and strengthen CFL’s social licence through visible, responsible, and strategic community investment.
This donation to Baka Books marks the Foundation’s first initiative, with its work set to continue throughout this year and into the next, supported by additional projects already in the planning stages as part of a long-term commitment to sustainable, visible, and impactful community development.
@fijivillage.com Communications Fiji Limited Foundation donates to support Baka Books #FijiNews ♬ original sound - fijivillage
