Tourism can make positive contributions to local communities and conservation. With this in mind, O.A.R.S. established Rivers Fiji in 1997—a true community-based, ecotourism company. A Rivers Fiji adventure offer visitors to Fiji the opportunity for travel to natural areas while promoting conservation and contributing to the well-being of local people.

With such goals in mind, O.A.R.S.’ Fiji operation has also coordinated with U.S.-based doctors to bring health care to the remote, interior rain forest of Viti Levu, Fiji’s big island. Dr. Gregory Juckett, MD, MPH is one doctor who helps Rivers Fiji give back to the community. We sat down with him to talk about the Rivers Fiji health project…

Q:  How did you get involved with the Rivers Fiji health project?

A:  I first heard about the need in Nakavika Village from (the directors) of Rivers Fiji during their visit to WVU to plan “Adventure WVU” in Fiji. Nakavika sounded like an ideal site for a medical outreach clinic for our senior medical students studying Global Health. My physician colleague Dr. Jan Palmer joined the mission.

Q:  What inspires you to offer your expertise, time and energy to such projects?

A:  These rotations can be a wonderful learning experience for everyone involved: students, faculty and patients. The medical team sets up a clinic and provides much needed care in a cross-cultural setting. During medical school, my overseas rotation in Rwanda was the most life-changing part of my medical education and something I want my students to experience.

Q:  What are some challenges faced when providing health care in the remote interior of the Fiji Islands?

A:  Logistics. First we must obtain medical donations. Meds that can’t be donated must be purchased, which gets expensive. Temporary medical licenses must be obtained with government approval. All items must be packed for Fiji, fees paid, and paperwork completed to get everything through customs.

It also took a year of planning to get a WVU Engineers Without Borders team to Nakavika to address their drinking water needs. The team installed sand filters for water purification, providing Nakavika with a long-term public health benefit.

This past year there was Cyclone Daphne, which dumped massive amounts of rain creating a national state of emergency. The access bridge to the village washed away and equipment had to be ported by hand across the river. Fiji was essentially paralyzed, but Rivers Fiji managed to get us to Nakavika and our clinic went off without a hitch.

Q:  That must have left you with some great memories.

A:  What might sound like a disaster was actually a wonderful experience for everyone. Fijian hospitality in the village, kava ceremonies, and a sense of humor by all. Our students were thrilled by the friendships they made and the beauty of the Fijian highlands.

Q:  Would you do it again?

A:  The answer is, of course, yes. Fiji, even during cyclone season, is a very, very hard place to leave.

Gregory Juckett, MD, MPH is Professor of Family Medicine at West Virginia University, Morgantown, where he is also Director of the University’s International Travel Clinic. He received a medical degree from the Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, and a Master’s Degree in Public Health from West Virginia University. He completed a family medicine residency at the Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston. Dr. Juckett has a Certificate of Knowledge in Tropical Medicine and Travelers’ Health and a Certificate in Travel Medicine. He has extensive short-term medical experience in the developing world and serves on the board of Children’s Relief International.

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The post Giving Back in Paradise appeared first on River Currents.

Bas (short for Basilio) Cakaunivalu has been sharpening his whitewater skills over the past year and gaining hands-on experience on rivers across the western United States. In addition to heightening his reputation as a well-versed river guide, Bas has a range of other responsibilities, including: maintaining ties with native land owners (mataqali), promoting the company and sharing his love of culture with visiting travelers.

Look into the soul of this storytelling, island native in our regular series of guide interviews!

Tell us how you ended up becoming a river guide.

I was still out on my farm when Nate Bricker [Rivers Fiji co-founder] came to the highlands looking for volunteers from Nakavika village, boys that were interested in becoming a whitewater guide. Thumbs up to Moses Vokula for penning my name down, which I found out later that night when we were at our bachelor’s house in the village back in 1998. Most of our friends were laughing at us wearing helmets and PFDs on the river because being a whitewater guide was something very new to our area.

What do you enjoy most about being a guide for Rivers Fiji?

Meeting people from different countries and telling them stories about Fiji, mostly our traditional culture.

What do you do when you’re not busy being a river guide?

I work on damaged rafts and IKs [inflatable kayaks], go on marketing brochure runs, or take photos during river trips and sell them to the customers. I also work on my vegetable garden.

Last year you traveled to the U.S. to train on the rivers of the West. What was the most memorable part of your journey?

Probably rowing my own cat [cataraft] boat down the Tuolumne River at 6000 cubic feet per second; I also really enjoyed touring most of the national parks: Yosemite Valley, the Grand Tetons, Canyonlands and Yellowstone National Park. Not to mention, rowing my own raft down the famous Colorado River through the Grand Canyon for 16 days.

What do people enjoy most about the trips you guide in Fiji?

They really enjoy the scenery, waterfalls and rapids and local stories about the area and our Fijian culture. Last but not least, they enjoy the smiling faces of our river guides and their willingness to serve our guests with their utmost ability.

How has Rivers Fiji impacted your life and your community?

Rivers Fiji has taught me a lot about tourism and has taken me to the United States for leadership courses and further training on my whitewater skills. It provides free health treatment to the community, acts as a source of income and offers job opportunities for the community. It brings awareness to some of the villagers that own land inside our Upper Navua Conservation Area regarding the benefits on how to preserve our forest for future generations. It also helps educate our primary and high school kids on the importance of preserving our forest. We also run free educational trips about this and the Upper Navua Conservation Area for the school kids and other village people, additionally providing free transportation into town and to the put in where we drop off the equipment.

What do you envision can be the future for Rivers Fiji?

Rivers Fiji will get bigger and continue to help the community to preserve other beautiful areas around the country. It has become one of the most famous educational excursions in Fiji regarding the Ramsar site [An intergovernmental treaty that embodies the commitments of its member countries to maintain the ecological character of their Wetlands of International Importance and to plan for the "wise use", or sustainable use, of all of the wetlands in their territories.]

Do you have any suggestions for how the Upper Navua Conservation Area should be preserved for the future?

Educating the future generations of the local communities about preserving the area and work closely with them to maintain good relationships. Also, encouraging and implementing an annual educational trip for the future generations that will become decision makers one day.

In your opinion, is there any way that we can help the mataqali take more of long-term interest in preserving the Upper Navua Conservation Area?

Yes, by educating them on the importance of preserving our forest and the side effects that will greatly affect their life in the future; by showing them pictures, posters, flyers and videos of the great dangers that will otherwise affect their future daily livelihood.

How can Rivers Fiji help the young people of the villages get more involved in the long-term preservation of their valuable resource?

By educating them about the importance of protecting these valuable resources with the help of some government ministries and NGOs, or organizing weekend camps to bring awareness to youth among different mataqali to bring about different opinions and perspectives; to instill in them the great importance of conservation in their life.

 Would you like to know more about Fiji? Got a question for Bas? Let us know in the comments!

The post Meet Basilio Cakaunivalu, Fiji Guide And Advocate appeared first on River Currents.