Imagine you lose everything you have ever owned…
Cyclone Winston destroyed the homes of 56,000 people and took 42 lives in Fiji. It was one of the strongest and most devestating natural disaster ever recorded in the Southern Hemisphere. Looking back with reverence: Instead of despair and depression, I discovered happiness and hospitality like nowhere else before. On Koro Island, All Hands Volunteers made an impact as one of the first organizations that helped—six months (!) after the cyclone. I had the honor to contribute to the project for six weeks. In total we built 103 toilets on Koro. How, why, and what? Keep scrolling.
About three months ago I was sitting in the kitchen with my WWOOFing host Rod in Marlborough Sounds in New Zealand. He showed me pictures of his sailing trip to the Fiji Islands and started enthusing about the island state: „The Fijians are the best people you could possibly meet. You would love it there.“
I nodded and smiled, while curiosity was growing inside of me. “I would love it there.” – I did not have the slightest idea what he meant, because I could not see what he saw in me.
The desire to find out what’s so special about those islanders grew into burning curiosity.
How to approach it? Island hopping and relaxing on the beach were not my thing. I still had a conservation project in a penguin reserve on the South Island to look forward to, but I was looking for a new opportunity to grow and to make myself useful. The question “How and where do I want to invest my precious energy?” was omnipresent. I was aiming for a real purpose.
Not knowing what exactly I’m aiming for, I wrote an application for a happy life. Et voilà—the next day I received an email on Workaway. „All Hands Volunteers Fiji needs you—come and experience the Fijian culture.“
Boom.
I didn’t make any effort to distribute my CV, but miraculously it seemed to get considered by the universe, as I would find out later…
Fiji is Calling
All Hands Volunteers (Update 2025: now “All Hands and Hearts”) is a U.S.-based organization specialized in natural disaster relief—powered by volunteers. The first All Hands volunteers teamed up in 2004 in Thailand after the tsunami. In Fiji they had been rehabilitating and rebuilding sanitary facilities since March 2016. The deal was clear—volunteers exchange their workforce for food, basic facilities including medical support, and a cultural exchange no holiday in the world can provide.
Within seconds I filled in the application form. One day later I booked a flight to Nadi, the second biggest city on Viti Levu—the main island of Fiji.
„Set!“—as the Fijians would say, as I would find out very soon.
“We aim to demonstrate the power and value of volunteerism through the tangible work done, the hope it brings to suffering communities, and the transformative experiences it provides for volunteers.”
gooverseas.com
My first excitement turned into nervousness. I was not prepared to travel to a tropical country. What do I have to pack? Which vaccinations do I need? Can I handle the hard work? Will I come along with the other volunteers and the locals?
Many, many questions popped up in my already distressed brain. It felt like the time was rinsing through my fingers like sand through an hourglass.
I had doubts—the adventure ahead, the unknown, frightened me, but there was no way back—at least no shortcut. Fiji is calling. Somehow I sorted out my medical preparations and all the additional gear I needed to join the project fairly prepared.
From Heat Stroke and Kava Cure
Only ten days after I booked my flight, I arrived at Nadi airport. What can I say? I was prepared to tackle diarrhea, but not the heat.
After a relatively fresh twelve degrees in New Zealand, the 30 degrees knocked me out. Luckily I spent the first two nights at Bamboo Backpackers in Nadi to acclimatize.
My first magical Fijian sunset made up for the heatstroke.
Later that evening, a kava session at the hostel cured my culture shock before it could even kick in.
Have you ever heard of kava? It’s a traditional, non-alcoholic drink made from the dried root of the kava-kava plant—considered a medicinal plant in the Pacific islands. The root is dried in the sun, pounded, and then mixed with water in a large communal bowl.
The result? An earthy brew with a numbing effect on your tongue and apparently on your thoughts—thanks to its sedating properties.
Locals say it relaxes your muscles, slows down your mind, and brings people together. I can confirm that, as I have witnessed the effect multiple times.
Fijians enjoy up to 30 or 40 bowls (yeah right, crazy!) in order to reach a state they call “doped.”
I wouldn’t necessarily recommend that. Regular consumption and big amounts are said to affect the liver.
Me And The Hammer – The Beginning of a Lovestory
The first week on board of All Hands was a rollercoaster of emotions. If you would have asked me if I knew how to use a hammer, I would have said, “Yes, sure thing,” but painfully I had to learn, “You have no clue how to nail an umbrella nail!” Surprise, surprise: I know how to beat myself down—this time not only literally. On day two I smacked myself with the hammer. I can hardly remember a day in my life when I felt more incapable of doing a thing right. Well, lesson learned: Keep it easy, girl. Over-motivation doesn’t help. You don’t have to do every single job on the first day. You’re on Fiji time.
“Don’t give up, when clouds surround you. It is maybe a sign that you are climbing higher.”
quote of a volunteer
Let the Koro Adventure begin…
Well, I didn’t really have the time to settle down at our base at QVS, Queen Victoria School, near Korovou on the main island of Fiji. Only five days after my arrival at the project, I and eleven other volunteers and All Hands staff members made our way to Koro Island. Now the real adventure begins…
Winston Took Houses, But Not Happiness
Imagine everything you have in life is taken from you. What’s left?
The violence of Winston hit Koro like no other part of the country. Nearly all the houses on Koro got damaged by the cyclone — a lot of them were completely destroyed.
Before Winston, Koro was acknowledged as the most fertile island in the country. Most of the vegetable and kava supplies at the market in Suva were distributed by the islanders. After Winston, the farmers lost their main source of income, but not their hope. The heads of the people are still up and the smiles are bright—even if the recovery will take decades.
“You would expect people to be depressed after Winston, but for us these are just material things. All that matters is being together with good people.” Jerry, a police officer stationed on Koro Island, gives me an understanding of Fijian values. Fiji is the land of the people—Winston might have taken their houses, but not their happiness.
Winston took houses, but not happiness.
More Than Just a Toilet
We keep our spirits up – and the longer I stay, the more I realize: we’re building more than just toilets. “Building hope” isn’t just the slogan of All Hands – it’s what actually happens. With every toilet we complete, I see something shift. A spark of joy. A sense of connection. I can see hope shining in the eyes of the people we’re here to support.
We are cutting our necessities to meet the basic needs of disaster-struck human beings. We are willing to give up our luxury life to help. We take part in their lives and help—no matter which nationality is quoted in our passport.
What Did I learn during the Project?
This experience made me question more than ever: What is this life really about?
Maybe there’s no need to worry about the future so much. Maybe all that really matters is good company and finding joy in daily life.
Right now, I’m less concerned with “What will I do next year?” and more focused on a different question: “What do I actually need now?”
Because honestly? There is no such thing as the future. There is only the here and now.
And it’s more than enough.
Well, I and the hammer became friends at the end. 😉 But more importantly, I realized that change is possible if we work together. Together we can make a difference. Every hand matters, but we have to work hard. Of course—words and money are helpful, but the impact is made by hand. 352 toilets and 75 showers—that’s the impact of All Hands’ project Fiji 2016.
You want to learn more about the situation on Koro Island? Check this article by Radio NZ.
Or do you want to help? Support All Hands and Hearts Volunteers.