Christmas came early for more than 700 children from families of Fiji’s Collection Pillars of Recycling (CPR), as the Pacific Recycling Foundation delivered festive cheer, dignity and hope through its fourth annual Christmas Gift and Stationery Drive.
The initiative, one of Fiji’s longest-running grassroots social protection programmes for informal recycling communities, reached children in Vunato and parts of Lautoka, Maururu in Ba, Sigatoka, Rakiraki and Labasa, ensuring families who often struggle to meet daily needs were not left behind during the festive season.
Pacific Recycling Foundation founder, Amitesh Deo, says the drive is about far more than presents.
Deo says the Collection Pillars of Recycling play a critical role in Fiji’s waste management system, yet many of their families face daily hardships that often go unseen.
He says this drive exists to ensure their children are not forgotten during the season of giving.
Deo says the drive also makes a significant contribution to environmental sustainability by diverting waste away from dumpsites, extending landfill lifespans, reducing emissions and turning discarded materials into livelihoods.
For many Collection Pillars of Recycling families, Deo says Christmas is often overshadowed by the daily struggle to survive, with little opportunity to provide even simple festive treats or gifts for their children.
The handover event in Vunato, Lautoka was officiated by the Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs and Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Lenora Qereqeretabua, and the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, Dr Sivendra Michael, alongside Lautoka City Council’s Special Administrators Chair, Taitusi Rasoki.
The Maururu, Ba handover was officiated by the Acting Chief Executive Officer of Ba Town Council, Manjula Devi.
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