This photo of happy children in Fiji was taken before Cyclone Yasa and now these children are living on instant noodles. Photo / Supplied
This photo of happy children in Fiji was taken before Cyclone Yasa and now these children are living on instant noodles. Photo / Supplied
As a travel writer, Scott Lee fell for more than just the palm trees and turquoise lagoons at two remote Fijian villages on Vanua Levu's northern coast.
He was sent to the only resort in the area, Nukubati, and "fell in love with the place".
Returning more than 20 times to the villages of Nagumu and Nanduri, the Tairua resident has a godson there, Yatha, and knows three generations of locals now.
"It breaks my heart," he says, of what he's learned is happening to his beloved Fijian friends.
Nukubati closed in March last year because of the global Covid-19 pandemic.
"The winds of Cyclone Yasa destroyed many of their homes and the subsequent flooding destroyed all their fruit and root crops. They are doing it tough."
Nukubati resort is right where Cyclone Yasa came across the coast in December 2020 with 250km/h winds that stripped the trees bare, Scott says.
Through the former resort, he learned that nearby Kia Island lost 48 out of 51 homes.
Devastation following Cyclone Yasa in December 2020. Photo / Supplied
"When the people from Nukubati took a boat out to check on them, they arrived a day after the cyclone and found kids still hiding in the cupboards in the one wall left standing in the school."
New Zealand donated $2.5 million in aid after Cyclone Yasa. Whilst hopeful, Scott says he doubts much would have made it to remote Nagumu and Nanduri.
Domestic tourism is not able to save these villages.
The villagers receive no social welfare benefits.
"I decided, let's help," said Scott.
He is immediately sending 10 sets of diving gear, spearguns and basic fishing hand lines that he's bought himself, and money for fuel for the village boat.
He says if enough money is raised he will coordinate a container to go to Labasa and directly to the villages.
"The village elders say they need building materials, household items and clothing, but above all else they require food."
Scott does not want donations of goods until he can arrange freight. Already he has had more than $2000 donated from "some very generous people" and hopes the villagers can source what they need locally until he can get goods there.
All money raised will be administered by the Nukubati Foundation which was set up by the Fijian owners for that purpose: "Ensuring every dollar will go directly to help these wonderful people."
He has been educating the resort on fish species that could be more sustainably caught by villagers, returning them to the old ways that whole generations have never known because of the reliance on tourism.
That was, until Covid-19.
"The resort doesn't have spearguns because they've tried to promote the reef ecologically but these guys have got to eat. They won't catch or spear the local cod and resident fish, but at the end of the day they're trying to feed their children."
On Thursday the Fiji National Disaster Management Office team thanked New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade via Facebook as it distributed some #BucketsOfLove to families in locked down areas in the Central Division of Fiji.
"Thank you Sai Prema Foundation Fiji and New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade for this support, enabling us to reach out to #COVID19 affected families."
• For more on helping villages through Nukubati Foundation, contact Scott Lee, 021 975 247 or email, scott.lee@xtra.co.nz. The account is ASB 12-3287-0336559-50 Ref: Nukubati.
