Working with Tourism Fiji to provide a platform for women, so that they can share their voice from the remote communities that they work with.
This is what Rise Beyond the Reef hopes to achieve when the Fijian Tourism Expo (FTE) 2015 starts on Tuesday next week.
Rise Beyond the Reef is a non-profit organisation that acts as a bridge between remote communities, government, private sector, and aid organisations.
This is to increase their understanding of resource sharing and working together to help better the lives of women and children.
Communities, which are not often represented, will be able to showcase a range of traditional contemporary products – including jewelleries and accessories, housewares, woven products and gift items – through the non-profit organisation at FTE 2015.
Rise Beyond the Reef director, Janet Lotawa, said: “Fijian culture offers connectibility in the way that many western cultures do not.
“This is made possible through a totally different system of currencies in communities that do not all revolve around money, but more on relationships, friendliness and genuine warmth of the Fijian people.
“So a few of our artisans will be in attendance who live in rural and remote communities. Our “Community Made” products will represent artisans from districts in both Viti Levu and Vanua Levu.”
Ms Lotawa said being able to attend a major event like FTE 2015 is challenging for the community artisans.
But, she said often it is in rural and remote communities where “you get to see, feel and experience the true spirit of Fiji”.
“For tourists, a community experience is what makes their visit even more special than enjoying the Fijian sunshine and beaches,” she said.
Inclusive platform
Tourism Fiji director of Event, Sally Cooper, said FTE is a platform inclusive of the whole Fijian community.
“FTE values work of everyone who is serious about the growth of the Fijian tourism industry,” she said.
“Tourism in Fiji is about genuine partnerships and enhancing relationships through the social interactions through FTE, the effects of which fundamentally flow back to the communities which the industry is built on.”