IF YOU’RE STRUGGLING WITH SOMETHING, TALK TO SOMEONE – VOLATABU

“If you’re struggling with something, talk to someone, get the help that you need, don’t wait till it’s too late”, this is the advise that Kalesi Volatabu, founder of Drug Free World Fiji shared on the Pacific Beat podcast.

Kalesi Volatabu Photo: Facebook / Drug Free World – Fiji

Reports have surfaced on the  increasing cases of meth, heroin and cocaine use, including among children.

Volatabu shared that this is not only evident in urban areas but also in rural and maritime areas as well.

These reports coincides with the many drug busts that have taken place over the last year.

“The youngest child who was admitted to a psychiatrist here for substance abuse was 14 years old,” said Kalesi Volatabu, founder of Drug Free World Fiji.

“If you look at the intakes in admissions to the mental institution we have here in Fiji…we used to have 30 or 40 a month, now it’s about a hundred, and many of them are young people,” she added.

Volatabu also said that the Nine days of  the 2024 Fiji Showcase allowed them to reach out to so many people. “We were so inundated with people coming to us for information” she shared. She said families brought their loved ones as well as their children to learn and understand what is happening in our communities. “Addicts even came to our booth seeking help” she added.

She also said that the drug problem has reached the point where people no longer feel safe in their communities due to the high drug intake as well as the increased crime rates.

“Our role is to educate, give factual information to the people but at the same time, we’re starting to see how the people take ownership of this, how do they help their families, their communities and  there has been a positive shift in creating awareness” she said. People have taken the information provided by Drug Free World Fiji and influenced religious organizations, the Mataqali to weave this message into their meetings and outreach programs.

[Photo: Fiji Police Force]

When asked if it is easy to access hard drugs in Fiji, Volatabu explained that taxi drivers will openly tell you where he took his previous customers to score, school children are aware of the street names given to different drugs and can direct you to the street, the dealer and the specific drug that you wish to purchase. Some of these children are used as runners.

This is scary, it is shocking but it also makes us ask “What do we do?”

The first ever Fiji Counter Narcotics Strategy was launched at the end of June.  Volatabu said that this has allowed an open discussion on how to curb the issue on drugs and each governing body is responsible for taking a certain action to help combat this.

They have also involved Civil Servants, the Vanua and Religious organizations in their strategies.

There have been talks about opening a rehabilitation center for drug users however, this has yet to be confirmed. “A few civil societies have come forward offering their different services and assistance on the newly proposed rehabilitation center” she added.

The podcast can be accessed on ABC’s Pacific Beat and provides and insight to those that are Overseas.

Credit: ABC Pacific Beat