The Nawaka Educational Charitable Trust, established by a group of New Zealand pharmacists is a shining example of how simple acts of service could lead to big rewards, especially when it is the children who would benefit.

Viliame Natukua, fondly known as Botica, was a waiter at the Sheraton Fiji Resort some 12 years ago.

The pharmacists used to hold their conferences there.

It was through his dedicated work as a waiter and his passion for rugby, that he met and formed a lifelong bond with New Zealander Wallace Bain, one of the pharmacists.

A trust was formed with the intention to provide Nawaka District School with computers.

Since then, the Trust has:

Networked 21 Windows 7 computers

Supplied and paid for internet data capacity and with intentions to upgrade internet capacity

Air conditioned the computer room

Subsidised computer teachers’ salaries

Supported tertiary studies for several students

Supplied a laptop and digital camera

And among other things helped repair classrooms following cyclones and floods

All this, as Mr Bain said, through their love for the Fijian people whom he described as “the most beautiful people in the world.”

Yesterday, through Mr Bain’s acquaintance and close friendship formed with Alistair Haywood, Head of marketing for Promethean in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, state of the art and the latest in teaching technology was installed at the school.

The global education technology company provided the school with the ActivePanel i-Series teaching equipment which brings the school on par with many schools worldwide.

Such is the assistance to the school and all through the honest and dedicated service offered by Mr Natukua while working as a waiter.

It showcases the fact that our visitors’ impression of Fiji is through the people they meet in the frontline of our hospitality industry.

Our service is certainly not superficial but comes from the heart of the people who provide that level of service which is almost unmatched throughout the tourism world.

It shows that people like Mr Natukua’s small gestures can go a long way into enhancing the lives of others, in this case the children who attend Nawaka District School.

Therefore the industry has  set a benchmark in service and hospitality and this cannot be lowered at any time.

For if we falter and lower our standards, then our visitors will look somewhere else.

Mr Bain comes to Fiji twice a year and has a home on Denarau Island.

He always ventures down to the school and his heart is filled with happiness and emotion when he sees the young minds at work on the computers.

Mr Natukua’s early work paved the way for all this and is a lesson to all who work in the hospitality industry.

We have visitors like Mr Bain and his group of pharmacists who are willing to help in some way.

The most important ingredient is being honest with them.

Mr Natukua was a waiter, honest and dedicated and now his village of Nawaka will be the envy of many because it has the latest technology to learn from.

Feedback:  charles.chambers@fijisun.com.fj