Fiji
Qualified candidates will have one or more of the following criteria:
• Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science degree in any business discipline; or at least
OR
• 3 years’ professional experience in business management.
Competitive candidates will have one or more of the following:
At least one year of community service or volunteer experience that includes individual capacity building through teaching, mentoring, or coaching adults, especially women and older youth
Experience working in grassroots development or community organizing that involves forming, co-leading, and motivating groups of adults
Experience working and communicating across diverse cultures
Experience advising or coaching individuals in the development of income-generating activities, including such tasks as market research, opportunity identification, feasibility studies, and business planning
Experience coaching individuals in applying personal money management skills (i.e., saving, budgeting, financial goal setting, evaluating borrowing options), potentially through a community savings group or microfinance initiative
Education, experience, and/or interest in land or aquatic farm management and agribusiness
Interest and willingness to master a local language and work within cultural norms
Willingness to work collaboratively in a rural iTaukei village, and the resilience to persist in the face of challenges that emerge while working in a conservative, collective society
For many, the mention of Fiji conjures images of translucent waters and idyllic island living, and Fiji is indeed a country of shimmering beauty. At the same time, the daily reality for most Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs) is textured and more complex.
The indigenous Fijian village context is central to most PCVs’ experience. Villagers often place great value on hierarchy, Christianity, and traditional roles of men and women. The Peace Corps’ approach to development asks PCVs to understand these norms with curiosity and respect, even when it involves such acts as wearing modest clothing in hot, humid weather, conforming to expectations for men and women, or regularly attending church. Fijians are often playful—cheeky, as locals say—but (like all of us) also carry biases that might feel hurtful. PCVs’ professional success hinges upon their ability to build the cultural sensitivity, maturity, and interpersonal skills to navigate these elements with grace, while also respectfully, but vibrantly sharing who they are with their communities.
All PCVs live with a host family for the ten (10) weeks of Pre-Service Training (PST). After PST, PCVs are assigned to their two-year communities. PCVs will live in rural villages on the large islands of Viti Levu or Vanua Levu, usually in an independent home that the village loans to Peace Corps. PCVs’ communities and homes vary across a number of factors, including:
Location: Locations range from mountainous interiors, to coastal plains, to swampy river delta regions. Few PCV communities are next to sandy beaches.
Housing type: While PCVs live in a variety of house types, most are fairly small and made from corrugated tin.
Electricity: Many PCVs’ homes do not have consistent electricity. In these cases, Peace Corps provides a solar panel that can usually power one light or charge a phone.
Phone/data coverage: Many PCVs do not have smart phone coverage within their home, though there are usually spots within walking distance where they can make a call or check email. For safety, all Volunteers have access to basic connectivity for a phone call or are given a Satellite phone for emergencies.
Water: Some communities experience periodic shortages of fresh water, requiring PCVs to save and store water to use during those periods.
Access to market towns: Few villages hold more than basic “canteen” shops, and market towns may be up to three hours away by public transit (buses, trucks, or vans).
Here are four other important elements of PCVs’ lived experiences:
Floor-sitting: Sitting cross-legged on woven mats is a culturally important part of village life, and Volunteers do so for hours at a time most days.
Food: While Fiji has an abundance of food, village diets are heavy in root starches, fish, canned meat, processed noodles, fried dough, and other oily foods, often featuring little variety and few vegetables. Peace Corps encourages PCVs to grow their own vegetable gardens.
Religion: Fiji is a deeply religious society. While there are many religions throughout Fiji, Protestantism and Catholicism dominate in the villages where most PCVs live. Religion and culture are inextricably linked in Fiji, and attending church is an important avenue for cultural integration.
Identity: Hollywood stereotypes permeate many Fijians’ understandings of U.S. Americans, and PCVs who are of a non-majority racial, ethnic, or other group in the United States may encounter unwanted attention and questions about their identity. Fiji’s colonial history contributed to a hierarchical sense of colorism that exists in some Fijians’ belief systems. There is a small gay community in Fiji, and a handful of gay rights organizations. However, being openly gay is not generally accepted in rural, conservative communities where PCVs serve. To reveal or not to reveal your full identity is a personal one.
None
Community Economic Development
Yes
Fiji
24
Yes
PCV
No
As the preeminent international service organization of the United States, the Peace Corps sends Americans with a passion for service abroad to work with communities and create lasting change. Volunteers develop sustainable solutions to address challenges in Education, Health, Economic Development, Agriculture, Environment and Youth Development. Through their Peace Corps experiences, Volunteers gain a unique cultural understanding and a lifelong commitment to service that positions them to succeed in today's global economy. Since President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps in 1961, more than 240,000 Americans of all ages have served in 142 countries worldwide.
