Today I appeared on the local Rogers (channel 22) Daytime Ottawa show at 11am. It aired again at 3:00PM, 5:30PM and 10:30PM tonight. I shared a bit more about what is happening over in Fiji and why it’s so important to help fund this mission!

Donations can be made to tashamaggie@hotmail.com by email money transfer or by paypal (www.paypal.com)

“BULA!” means “cheers, welcome!” Literally translated bula means life.

Fiji’s sugar plantations have historically been the greatest money-spinners with the European markets but with the EU’s decision to cut sugar subsidies it’s had an impact on Fijian trade and the crop that represents a third of the nation’s industry is in for difficult times.

Locals are also being affected by dwindling visitor numbers as tourism was the modern cash cow!

Just on the outskirts of Suva, away from the flashy shops and colonial homes, tens of thousands of people are living in settlements in tiny, thatched huts. These dilapidated settlements have little sanitation and often no water or electricity. In 2008, an estimated 35% of Fijian’s were living BELOW the poverty line.  (For a skilled government worker they earn about $150 week, and for the unskilled they are lucky if they make about $50 week to provide for their entire family.)

Water- After a heavy rainfall, in most villages’ rainwater is collected in tanks but still needs to be boiled before consumed. Can you imagine not having safe drinking water to provide for your family?

How I am helping!

This May, I will be travelling to Fiji, and I will be living in a ‘homestay’ in a traditional Fijian village on the island of Veti Levu. I will be working with the villagers constructing rain water catchment tanks so that the villagers have access to fresh, clean and running water.

*** Each home by the time we leave will have access to fresh water inside their homes!

I will also be helping out in the local school teaching English through basic lessons and games and also restoring the school equipment and buildings.  I will also be helping to run basic workshops demonstrating proper hygiene techniques.

I am travelling with Volunteer Eco Students Abroad (VESA). In Fiji, VESA works closely in conjunction with the PCDF (Partners In Community Development Fiji) The PCDF are a local NGO whom also work with organizations such as UNICEF and the European Union in various environmental and community projects.

Why am I doing this?

I am going to be 33 this year and I am lucky enough to have 2 amazing kids who are 14 and 5 yrs of age. I was going through the Tim Horton’s drive through when my daughter Hannah asked me, “Mommy, when you grow up, what are you going to be?” Well, I didn’t have the best answer and I started to take a really deep look at my life. I realized through a scare with cancer that life is truly precious. I’ve always dreamed of helping others throughout the world and I started to put into effect a plan that would turn those dreams into realties.

I started to stop using words like IMPOSSIBLE and look at the word POSSIBLE. I started following my heart and believing that I too can make a difference.

As a laid off employee, I was accepted into the Ontario Governments program Second Career and I went back to college, taking Recreation and Leisure at Algonquin College- it’s an incredible blessing and I am finally doing what I was meant to do, “and be!” It’s a truly amazing course that teaches up how to be servant leaders in our community. It’s always been my vision to help out globally and in September when I learnt about the VESA program helping out in Fiji my intuition was screaming at me that I needed to go and help make a difference. So I acted upon my intuition and made the decision to go.

My kids and family support me 100% and know the caring and loving person that I am. I’ve always wanted to help everyone and this time I am really going to be making a significant change in the quality of the lives of the villagers in Fiji and I get to do it with my own two hands!

So far I have raised $600 and have another $2900 to raise! I need your help and I need it now! I need to raise the remaining money by the end of March. Money raised goes towards, the materials needed and construction for the school home, equipment and fresh water reserves.

Please email me TODAY at tashamaggie@hotmail.com for information on how to donate! Please follow your own intuition and act now! It is possible to make a difference!

From the bottom of my heart, “Vinaka” (means thank you!)

So as promised I will update you on my fundrasing progress… before I left the show studio today, even before going on the air a fellow guest donated $150! How amazing is that?!

$2900 LEFT TO RAISE by March 31st!!!! Getting closer to Possible each and every minute! Please keep the donations coming in!!!

All my love and abundance!

Tasha Maillet

Xoxo

Donations can be made to tashamaggie@hotmail.com by email money transfer or by paypal (www.paypal.com)

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