This is a story about water, a basic resource we can’t survive without. It’s also a story about Fijian hospitality, culture and kava. Lots and lots of kava.
Fiji is now coronavirus free, local restrictions have eased and we’re taking a journey to the remote village of Nambu.
It only takes one friendly BULA to like the Fijian people and less than a day to fall in love with them.
We’re learning a lot from them when it comes to the power of attitude. They really might be the friendliest, happiest people we’ve ever known.
Life here isn’t perfect and as you’ve seen, basics like clean water and sanitation can be an issue. The average daily wage is less than what the typical American spends on lunch. A good chunk of the population relies on tourism and because of the pandemic, most have lost their jobs. Yet, their spirits are far from broken. They do not complain. Really…not even when prompted.
Me: Has life been difficult because of the pandemic and no tourists?
Fijian: Oh, we’re enjoying the extra family time.
The only semi-irritated Fijian we have encountered was a mother. Which, wait for it…was because the kids didn’t greet us and she thought they weren’t being friendly enough. So, there ya go. Bula spirit training clearly starts at a young age.
And speaking of the Bula spirit, this is only the start of our Fiji adventures. We have so much more to discover together!
The Good News About Water
Progress on both sanitation and water is being made in Fiji through nonprofits like Give Clean Water and the Fijian government.
UNICEF reported, “The Government’s commitment is also reflected in the National Development Plan targeting 100% access to safe drinking water by 2030 and 70% access to improved sanitation systems by 2021.”
Which is good news! Seeing progress and change is inspiring us to keep working, donating, and volunteering.
Give Clean Water Website: givecleanwater.org/
Sawyer Water Filters: hamzn.to/3fgGuKU
FINDING THE MOST EFFECTIVE CHARITIES
Not all charities are created equal and we have to make sure our time, money, and efforts aren’t wasted.
We’re still learning and don’t have it all figured out, but we have found some great resources. (I’m currently reading and re-reading The Life You Can Save and I highly recommend it.) https://www.thelifeyoucansave.org/
We use the following third-party organizations to find effective, impactful charities.
- Impact Matters
- The Life You Can Save
- Give Well
- Charity Navigator
- Give
- CharityWatch
- GuideStar
- Animal Charity Evaluators
The Bad News
All that garbage we pick up on the beach…it is a serious problem that is only increasing. And not just in Fiji, it’s everywhere we have sailed! Even the most remote islands in the world! The whole world is suffering from a massive pollution problem. I’m not talking politics or conspiracy theories, just in our face, undeniable facts. We see rivers of trash floating in the sea, we pick up plastic bags 100 feet below the sea and pick up endless trails of garbage off the beaches.
And then, of course, there is that single-use, plastic Fiji water bottle. It will take 450 years to breakdown and is produced and packaged on an island where there are no recycling facilities.
Then, the water is shipped thousands of miles to the richest developed countries in the world where high-quality water already exists. 🤔 And yet, here in Fiji, 25% of the population doesn’t have access to clean water.
We’re far, far from perfect ourselves, but we know our planet needs BIG changes. We use the following websites for education, information, volunteering, and donating.
🙏THANK YOU!
Ups, downs and all around, we share it all. We’re able to do so because people like you show up each week, read, watch, comment, share, shop our gear store, and toss a tip in our production jar. If you like what you see, there are lots of FREE ways you can show your support.
💧Water Filters Used
- Sawyer Water Filter: amzn.to/3fgGuKU
🎥CAMERA GEAR USED TO FILM THIS VIDEO📷
- See All Of Our Photo & Video Gear here: gonewiththewynns.com/photo-video-gear
🎶MUSIC IN THIS VIDEO:
- Source 2 Months FREE with this link: https://bit.ly/artlist-GWTW
- Artist – John Isaac, FASSounds
