COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT WORK YOU DO MATTERS: PIANGO TELLS FCOSS VOLUNTEERS

Date: 26 January 2017

SUVA – The Fiji Council of Social Services (FCOSS) does great community work even though its often not visible says Pacific Islands Association of NGOs (PIANGO) executive director, Emele Duituturaga.

Duituturaga made the comments at the end of a weeklong FCOSS staff and volunteers planning in Suva last night.

“Congratulations to you all! Planning is an important part of the community development work that we all do and is at the heart of development effectiveness – an issue that PIANGO and its affiliates are committed to realising,” she said.

“PIANGO itself has been planning, looking at affirming a three year work plan that will help us to zero in on our strategic focus areas.”

Duituturaga said FCOSS workers based in various areas of the country played a big role in helping communities negotiate for appropriate and sustainable development.

“Fiji is vulnerable to outside shocks, a most recent example of a world event that we all should be preparing our communities for is the US elections. How prepared are our communities for the fallout of the change of policies? This is where your work is going to be critical.”

She said the 2018 national elections is also an important national event that will impact on the worker’s community development efforts.

“So stick with it, work with the communities well and be visible! It matters that there is ongoing discussions and awareness about the work you do!”

“As a member of our PIANGO family, we will continue to remain available to support the work that FCOSS renders to its communities for 2017,” Duituturaga said.

ENDS