Half Marathon to raise money to support Fijian communities following Cyclone Harold

What we are doing:

We are a group of volunteers who participated in a 2 month programme in Fiji with Think Pacific. Covid-19 lockdown permitting, the majority of us intend to run/walk the RunThrough Wimbledon Common Half Marathon on August 2nd 2020. However, some volunteers live too far away (e.g. France) and would instead complete it on the same day where they are, the same goes for if the borders miraculously open and people are able to continue their disrupted gap years. If the event were to be cancelled, we’ll do the first half marathon available as soon as lockdown is over, or we’ll all record it on strava where ever we are in the world.

What the funds are for:

Cyclone Harold, which reached a classification of category 5 (the highest level) and wind speeds of 265 km/h, has left a trail of destruction in the South Pacific. The effects have been devastating. The cyclone first hit the Solomon Islands where 27 people are believed to have died. The cyclone then pummeled Vanuatu before moving onto Fiji and then Tonga. 

The cyclone wrecked havoc over Fiji, both the main island, Viti Levu, and several of the smaller islands, tearing up whole communities. Over 780 homes have been damaged or destroyed alongside schools and community buildings and almost 2000 people are currently living in evacuation centres. Many of the affected communities are also reported to no longer have access to a clean water supply. There has been one fatality reported so far - a 66-year old man on Kadavu island. Pictures show severe flooding around the country. Many of the rural communities in Fiji rely on plantations for the majority of their food supply and income. Many of these villages hit by the cyclone will have seen their plantations partially or fully destroyed. 

For example Kadavu, which is one of the worst hit places in Fiji. Our close friends Alfie (born and raised on Kadavu) and Emma (from Norwich) are currently living on Kadavu in Alfie’s village. Emma has written an emotional and terrifying account of her experience of the cyclone which you can read here: https://notlostinfiji.com/2020/04/09/cyclone-harold-in-kadavu-our-story/

With communications still down, we will be unaware of the extent of damage in some of the hardest-hit areas. For now, it’s estimated that there are 39,372 people affected and 10000 are still in need of assistance.

What is more, this is not the only crisis that is affecting Fiji. Fiji, like every other country, is trying to ward off Covid-19, the virus which has brought the entire world to its knees. The Fijian Government is having to respond to the devastation caused by the cyclone whilst at the same time ensuring curfews, social distancing and the measures in towns which have been locked down are observed to try and prevent the further spread of Covid-19 throughout Fiji. There are currently 16 cases of Covid-19 in Fiji - if the virus were to spread, this would lead to further detrimental and devastating effects on the country.

It has been heartbreaking to follow the news updates and to speak to our Fijian friends who have told us their accounts and sent photos of the cyclone and its aftermath. We feel so helpless here in the UK to do anything about it. The best we can do is support Fiji by donating money to provide relief on the ground - please help us!!!

Who are we raising money for and how will it be spent: 

We will be raising money for the campaign set up by Think Pacific (the charity that we volunteered with). Think Pacific have been in discussion with their community partners to help Fiji’s National Disaster Management Office and raise funds to support rural communities most in need.

Who we are and why is this cause so important to us?:

We are a group of volunteers that recently took part in a two month programme at the start of this year in Fiji with Think Pacific. We lived with beautiful families in a rural village called Naqelecibi, in the Ra province. Here we helped build a healthcare centre for the village, and participated in workshops which aimed to empower Fijian youths. The project was organised in partnership with the Fijian Government to fulfil the aims of their National Development Programme. 

We would all agree that the two months we spent in Fiji were two of the best months of our lives. We fell in love not only with our village and the wonderful people in it, but also Fiji as a nation. Our village, Naqelecibi, showed us the true meaning of hospitality, welcoming us into their beautiful community as if we were their own. We’re not exaggerating when we say that the two months we spent in Naqelecibi changed our lives. We are truly in awe of the people’s selflessness, their joy, their positivity and their hearts which are purer than gold. And this is not limited to the people of our village - everyone we encountered in Fiji demonstrated the same qualities. 

Emily (one of the organisers of this campaign) experienced the full power of Fijian generosity when she got stranded in Fiji due to border closures resulting from Covid-19:

 

“ When finding myself stuck in Fiji for 16 days due to Covid-19 (flight cancellations, border restrictions and then the eventual closure of Nadi International Airport), the Fijians went above and beyond to help and support me and the others that were stranded. The warmth, kindness and generosity that they showed us was overwhelming. Everyone we came across, whether that be taxi drivers, hostel staff or people messaging on Facebook, tried to help in any way they could, offering out food and their homes for us to come and stay at if the hostel were to close in a lockdown. After a post on Facebook, many compassionate and kindhearted Fijians were in contact with us and managed to source some medication for a girl whose own supply had run out. I have never met people so considerate. We are beyond grateful to them. Their hospitality and selflessness were unfathomable during this time. My wonderful Fijian Family back in Naqelecibi, our village, were in constant contact and checked up on me daily. They wanted me to return to stay with them while I waited for a flight out of Fiji, but I was unable to reach them because of road closures aimed at restricting the spread of Covid-19. I really mean it when I say the people here are like no other. “

 

We have never encountered people so willing to help, and people so generous, so selfless and so kind. And it’s a Fiji-wide phenomenon. We are therefore utterly heartbroken that such beautiful and kindhearted people are having to battle two disasters at once - Cyclone Harold and Covid-19. They do not deserve this, and the unfairness of the situation makes us unbelievably saddened and angry. 

We hope we can all come together and reciprocate the love, care and support that they showed us, and especially Emily when she was stranded, and help the country and its people through their desperate time of need.

THANK YOU for reading our story - we really hope you will donate to this incredible cause.

We know times are difficult right now for everyone, so even if you can’t donate, please share our page with your family and friends to help us get the word out!!

#TCHarold #cycloneharold #ThinkPacific #fundsforfiji #FijiCyclone