Captain Cook Cruise’s sailing catamaran “Fiji One” sailed to the Mamanuca and Yasawa islands this week, laden with essentials to assist multiple villages who have suffered with lack of visits from cruise passengers and unemployment during COVID.
Essential supplies delivered Wednesday and Thursday this week included groceries, medical supplies, reusable personal hygiene packs, baby packs and seeds for edible plants.
‘It was wonderful to see the smiling faces of the villagers as we delivered these essential supplies to these areas effected by border closures and lack of tourism to these beautiful islands in Fiji.’ said Allison Haworth West CEO of Captain Cook Cruises.
Captain Cook Cruises helped to ensure the villages receiving the aid were those who had been most affected by unemployment of hospitality workers as well as the absence of visits from passengers on Reef Endeavour which had ceased her itineraries to the region during this time. This Friday Reef Endeavour will continue the effort with drops of supplies at Sawailau and Yanuya during her first itinerary to the islands departing with some “happy to be out of lockdown”, Fiji locals!
The supplies were purchased with the help of the President and members of the Rotary club of Nadi with money administered through the Rotary Australia World Community Service (RAWCS) fund.
The visit was timely as the islanders pick up the pieces following bouts of coronavirus infections recorded in Malolo and the Yasawas, that the Ministry of Health says is now control. The Malolo and Yasawa community engagement initiative continues for another 10 days with civil servants from different ministries helping to facilitate containment and vaccination efforts.
