Suva, Fiji – The US government, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), has donated $ 840,000 to the Foundation for Rural Integrated Enterprises and Development (FRIEND) to increase the capacity of Fijian communities to mitigate the impact of the COVID- 19 pandemic.
The grant will focus on vulnerable communities in Fiji’s tourism belt. Activities include alternative livelihood training and mentoring programs for those who have previously worked in the tourism industry. FRIEND will also explore new market opportunities for farmers and fishermen who can no longer sell their products to the tourism sector. The grant will use marketing opportunities through the existing FRIEND network. Nearly 2,300 families in Viti Levu’s Western Division are expected to benefit from the grant activities. Women and underserved populations are among the target recipients of this grant.
Tony Greubel, United States Chargé d’Affaires at the US Embassy in Fiji, said: “The United States Government recognizes that local civil society organizations have a key role in alleviating the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in Fiji and play across the Pacific. The United States remains committed to strengthening the ability of the Fijian communities to respond effectively to the economic and social disruptions caused by this pandemic. “
FRIEND Director Ms. Sashi Kiran said the funding was very timely as many Fijians are currently struggling to make ends meet. “More than 150,000 people lost their jobs in the first wave of COVID-19. Nadi, in particular, has been economically crippled and the second wave has continued to affect families in difficulty, ”Kiran said. “This support from USAID will be very useful in enabling these communities to recover from the devastating economic effects of this pandemic,” added Kiran.
This financial assistance was provided by USAID’s Pacific American Fund, a grant of 35 million. USAID’s Pacific American Fund aims to reach out to qualified local, national and international civil society organizations. These organizations include non-governmental organizations and institutions, private small and medium-sized enterprises, universities, and religious organizations.
:strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65):fill(FFF)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/ZGHKPDYCHVGOFFEJWEMXFNRLWA.jpg "Might marks first month since pandemic Orange County didn’t must dip into tourism tax reserves"){kind=small}
