Only 420€ per week!
Healthcare Project
Suva - Fiji
Contribute to the good health of the locals of Fiji by joining the healthcare project in Suva! This program is designed to keep the local population in good health.
The purpose of this project will be to identify the most common diseases in the area, get information from a doctor, spread awareness in schools and conduct health check-up camps in villages, once a month.
Program
Living
Suva
Fiji
Program Description
The general health of average Fijians is quite good and robust as most of the youth are interested in sports and they begin their training at an early age. However, as they get older, especially the women, tend to get obese after the birth of their children. Since most of the local populations live in the villages, they have little or no knowledge of hygiene and diet. This leads to a wide range of diseases like high blood sugar, cholesterol, hypertension etc. The other common diseases in the villages are skin eruptions/lesions, urinary infections, gum and heart diseases.
Our healthcare education initiative is in its infancy and requires the skills of both established medical and healthcare professionals and those who are interested in teaching basic first-aid and personal hygiene. This need for having project participants on either end of the medical spectrum arises due to the great extremes in hygiene and health practices. Apart from needing qualified professionals in order to conduct health camps and dental checkups, we also need participants who can educate people in the areas of basic first-aid and personal hygiene such as washing hands, brushing teeth and general cleanliness. This works towards the prevention of many avoidable health problems and easily communicable diseases.
If you are interested in educating simple hygiene techniques, you are welcome to join the Healthcare Education project. Medical professionals who can offer guidance on the project’s development would be immensely valuable; however it is not imperative that participants have a medical background to join. As a participant of this project, you can support to run healthcare campaigns in local schools/villages around Suva, actively teach the importance of basic hygiene – emphasize brushing teeth correctly, washing hands and general body cleanliness. Many of the daily routines that we carry out without thinking are not common practices with the children you will meet, but starting simple education early can go a long way for immediate and future healthcare. If you have a medical background, check-up clinics for local children and adults can be organized with your help.
Aims & Objectives
The aim and objective is to work towards the prevention of many avoidable health problems and easily communicable diseases.
Schedule
Monday to Friday
During the first half of the day in the morning, a local doctor will meet you and explain to you all the various medical aspects as well as the medical needs of the local community. Later you will be taken to the local government schools and take part in an awareness campaign, teach health and hygiene to children of various ages, teach first aid and many more health and medical related programs which will be conducted for the children everyday.
On the last Wednesday of every month, in alliance with the local team of doctors, a general health check-up camp is organized by us for the benefit of villagers. Free medicines and treatment will be made available to all.
Note: The activity plan will be confirmed again every Friday. The program can change depending on the school plan/activities from the local students, weather and local conditions. The working time will be around 4 hours a day
Note: This schedule can be changed and/or amended depending on weather conditions, local conditions and unforeseen circumstances.
Participant Criteria & Requirements
Standard Requirements
Minimum age: 18
Maximum age: –
Minimum English level: Intermediate
CRB required: On Signup
Passport copy required: On Signup
Resume copy required: No
Required qualification: Medical Background
Additional Requirements
A medical background or related work experience – Nursing and medical students welcome
Additional Equipment
No specific equipment necessary.
Location
Suva is located on the southeast coast of the island Vitti Levu. It is the capital of the country and the largest most cosmopolitan city of Fiji. Suva has an approximate amount of 86,000 inhabitants and works as a harbour city built on the peninsula. The city has a warm rainy tropical weather throughout the year, which keeps the flora fresh, and the temperature in beach-perfect scenery. This town represents the meaning of a multicultural country. It has so many combinations between European, Indian, Asian and Fijian that every single person seems as interesting as the next one. Make sure not to miss the Fiji Museum to learn more about how the beautiful Fiji came to be. The best part of this multicultural aspect is that you can find Chinese, Indian and Italian cuisines in one place!
About the Accommodation
Participants will stay at our centre on Suva, yet can vary depending on the project, but will be in shared bedrooms at our house Centre. There are refrigerators at the accommodation for the participant’s convenience.
Food Arrangements
Three meals, per day are served for the duration of your trip on Monday to Friday two meals per day on the weekends for the duration of your trip. We serve breakfast and dinner at the normal time during the weekend. Breakfast is western style and lunch and dinner are typical Fijian style.
Facilities
- ATM’s: There are many ATM's near the Suva House centre which is about a 5 to 10 minutes from the house.
- Local supermarket is a 5 minute walk from the centre.
- Personal SIM card for your mobile: You can buy at the local shop.
- The closest city is Suva about a 20 minute ride by car/bus from our Centre.
- 5 minutes ride to to Makoi Health Centre +679 334 0197, Lot 5 Matanikorovatu Nasinu.
- 20 minutes ride to Suva Private Hospital 120 Amy Street, Tork Suva /Fiji +679 330 3404.
- 20 Minutes ride to Colonial War Memorial Hospital Brown Street & Waimanu Road. Suva/ Fiji +679 313 3444.
- 20 Minutes ride to Gordon Street Medical Centre 98-100 Gordon Street Corner of Thurston Street, Suva/ Fiji +679 333 1355.
- 20 Minutes ride to Nasese Medical Centre 62 Ratu Sukuna, Suva/ Fiji +679 331 4450, + 679 330 3655.
Activities & Events
No scheduled activities outside the program.
Sights & Surroundings
- Fiji Museum: This museum offers a great journey into Fiji’s historical and cultural evolution.
- Suva Municipal Market.
- Oceana Center for Arts and Culture:Arts center at the University of the South Pacific which hosts regular live music, dance and theater, art shows and other cultural events.
Transportation
From this location we do not provide free transport to other locations.
Quick Facts
Name: Republic of Fiji
Population: 881,065
Capital: Suva
Language: Fijian
Currency: Fijian Dollar (FJD)
Time zone: ICT (UTC +7)
Country Information
Fiji is an archipelago of 333 sun-kissed, picture perfect islands tucked away in the South Pacific, close to Australia and New Zealand.
It's famed for its rugged landscape of blue lagoons and palm-lined beaches, and eco-activities from mountain climbing and surfing to soft-coral diving and zip-lining. Its major islands, Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, contain the lion’s share of the population, meaning much of the country is uncrowded.
The 20th century brought about important economic changes in Fiji as well as the maturation of its political system. Fiji developed a major sugar industry and established productive copra milling, tourism and secondary industries.
As the country now diversifies into small-scale industries, the economy is strengthened and revenues provide for expanded public works, infrastructure, health, medical services and education.
The country’s central position in the region has been strengthened by recent developments in sea and air communications and transport. Today, Fiji plays a major role in regional affairs and is recognized as the focal point of the South Pacific.
Fiji is now home to many other races — Indians, Part Europeans, Chinese and other Pacific islanders living in harmony, and keeping their own cultures and identity. Fijians, slightly over 50 per cent of the total population, are essentially members of communities. They live in villages and do things on a communal basis.
Climate
The climate in Fiji is tropical marine and warm year round with minimal extremes. The warm season is from November to April and the cooler season lasts from May to October. Temperature in the cool season still averages 22 °C (72 °F).
Rainfall is variable, with the warm season experiencing heavier rainfall, especially inland. Winds are moderate, though cyclones occur about once a year (10–12 times per decade).
On 20 February 2016, Fiji was hit by the full force of Cyclone Winston, the only Category 5 tropical cyclone to make landfall in the nation. Scores of homes were destroyed and at least 43 people have been reported dead.
Culture
Fiji was first settled about three and a half thousand years ago. The original inhabitants are now called "Lapita people" after a distinctive type of fine pottery they produced, remnants of which have been found in practically all the islands of the Pacific, east of New Guinea, though not in eastern Polynesia. Linguistic evidence suggests that they came from northern or central Vanuatu, or possibly the eastern Solomons.
Before long they had moved further on, colonizing Rotuma to the north, and Tonga and Samoa to the east. From here, vast distances were crossed to complete the settlement of the Pacific to Hawaii in the north, Rapanui (Easter Island) in the east and Aotearoa (New Zealand) in the south.
Unlike the islands of Polynesia which showed a continuous steadily evolving culture from initial occupation, Fiji appears to have undergone at least two periods of rapid culture change in prehistoric times.
This may have been due to the arrival of fresh waves of immigrants, presumably from the west. Pre Historians have noted that a massive 12th century volcanic eruption in southern Vanuatu coincides with the disappearance of a certain pottery style, and its sudden emergence in Fiji.
It is hardly surprising then, that the Fijian culture is an intricate network and that generalisations are fraught with danger. Although the legendary king of Bau, Naulivou, and his successors had control over a large area of eastern Fiji, at no time before colonization was Fiji a political unity. Nevertheless, Fiji does exhibit certain traits that sets it apart from its neighbours, and it is this that defines a distinctive Fijian culture.
Transportation
Getting around Fiji is easy and cheap. There’s a good network of buses, carriers (trucks) and ferries for travel within Fiji’s main islands, and taxis are common. Hiring a car is a good way to explore the two largest islands – which contain 90% of Fiji’s roads – or charter a boat or small plane to get between islands. Fiji is well-served by two domestic airlines which operate between many of the islands, although services are less regular to the outer islands. Yachting and cruising are also great ways to explore the country.
