Nacanieli Koro ( Bureiwai, Ra)
“There is a need for Child Safeguarding training in every community in Fiji because nowadays a lot of children are not cared for and left on their own without any parental guidance or supervision.”
This was a sentiment shared by Nacanieli Koro of Bureiwai Village in Ra after attending the one-day Community Child Safeguarding Training in Rakiraki.
The CSG training was a collaborative effort between Save the Children Fiji’s Knowledge and Action and Food Security (KANA) Project, the Child Protection team, and the Social Welfare Department.
As a focal point and representative for children and youth – Nacanieli Koro admits child abuse is a term that not everyone fully understands or takes seriously.
After learning about child protection through various group activities and hearing from facilitators during the CSG training, this participant says he is determined to take back the lessons learned to his communities.
He further adds that not reporting child abuse cases has turned into a norm for some communities and the well-being or welfare of children is being neglected by the very people who should be protecting them.
“What I have learned from this training is that child abuse is not only physical. It’s also emotional like constant yelling, criticizing your child, and exposing them to domestic and family violence “he explained.
The first-time participant says children nowadays are going through behavioral changes and many parents are neglecting their children, leaving them in the care of other children, friends, relatives, or elders.
Nacanieli Koro says the one-day training was productive and full of engagement with participants and facilitators sharing their experiences of dealing with children. A session he mentioned allowed them to self-reflect on their responsibilities as parents as well.
“I will definitely take back the lessons from here and share them with the people in my community and make sure it ripples down to the grassroot level.”
The community focal point while thanking Save the Children Fiji for facilitating the training recommended that it be taken into communities so it can be effectively implemented.
The KANA and Child Protection projects are being implemented by Save the Children Fiji and funded by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and supported by Save the Children New Zealand.