Partners in Community Development Fiji (PCDF)

VACANCY ADVERTISEMENT
Partners in Community development Fiji (PCDF) is one of the longest established local NGOs in Fiji. Having been established in the 1970s, PCDF is one of the longest serving local NGOs. PCDF has a strong track record of implementing development programmes in Fiji’s rural and remote communities, that focus on our 5 strategic objectives of:
i. Community Capacity and Livelihood Enhancement (CCLE)
ii. Natural Resource Management (NRM)
iii. Promoting Climate Resilient and Sustainable Communities
iv. Community Health Improvement
v. Promoting of Good Governance, Gender Equity and Social Inclusion

PCDF is currently looking for a full time COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER. The successful applicant will oversee 3 primary areas of responsibility:
1. Communications Support within the organisation
2. Outreach to communities
3. Engagements with the public

This role will encompass the below key responsibilities:
1. Develop and execute a public relation (PR) plan to include:
• Liaising with the national media outlets
• Creation and management of media releases
• Writing & designing newsletters
• Monitoring of media coverage
• Coordinating public events as required by the organisation
• Overseeing the organisation branding through logo use & print materials
2. Manage internal communication activities and organisation announcements to ensure all staff are regularly updated, with all information relevant to their departments.
3. Manage the content of PCDF website and other social media outlets
4. Work with Project Teams on raising project visibility and meeting deadlines
5. This position will require fieldwork which includes accompanying project teams to the field.
Minimum Qualifications and Experience:
• A Degree in communications/Journalism
• At least three (3) years of relevant communication work experience
• Proficiency in using Microsoft Office products and Excellent Presentation Skills
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relations within the organisation and with stakeholders and the various mainstream media outlets.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in both English and ITaukei languages

Submit your applications with a copy of your CV, relevant support documents and names of referees to:

COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER - VACANCY,
Partners in Community Development Fiji (PCDF)
8 Denison Road
PO Box 14447
Suva, Fiji Islands

Or email to [email protected] copy [email protected]

Application close: Friday, 26th July 2024 at 3:00pm

🌿𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐉𝐄𝐂𝐓 𝐔𝐏𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄
This week in the Viti Levu highlands, the Joint Programme on Accelerating Rural Women's Economic Empowerment (JP RWEE) project is training women farmers (including men), in practical crop husbandry techniques. The training is facilitated in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Waterways Fiji through the Sigatoka Research Station and the Nadroga/ Navosa Agriculture Extension, providing valuable technical expertise in these areas.

Supported by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), JPRWEE aims to directly benefit over 2,000 people in Fiji. This includes:
✅80 officials from relevant ministries like agriculture and women's development.
✅2,000 rural women farmers, some of whom are also market vendors.

The project supports rural women through access to:
1️⃣ Agro-inputs and farm equipment 🚜;
2️⃣ processing machinery;
3️⃣ tailored training in improved farming practices, food preservation methods and processing 🍅🥬🍆🥒; &
4️⃣ market brokering.

The team trained ②⑧ people from the Navatusila District yesterday in Nanoko village. The Navatusila District consists of 8 communities: Nanoko, Tuvatuvavatu, Mare, Tokoni, Natoka, Nabuabua, Nabutautau, and Nasauvakarua.

Today, the JPRWEE team heads to Navaga Village to train participants from the Magodro District.

Ni sa yadra vinaka.
Me da nanuma tiko na Vakatatabu mai vei iratou na Tabana nI Qoliqoli.

RE-ADVERTISMENT

Partners in Community Development Fiji (PCDF), in its 44th year of operation, collaborates with communities, donors, government, and other entities to enhance the quality of life in Fiji’s remote communities. As a local entity advocating for community interests, we employ community-centred approaches grounded in existing local knowledge, skills, and capacities. Embracing a learning ethos, we respect community structures and knowledge, working alongside leaders to ensure inclusive participation of women, youth, and marginalized groups, fostering local empowerment to address issues and drive change.

Our interventions encompass environmental, social, and economic dimensions to achieve our Strategic Priorities of:

- Natural Resource Management
- Community Capacity & Livelihood Enhancement
- Build Climate Resilient & Sustainable Communities
- Community Health Improvement
- Promoting Good Governance, Gender Equity and Social Inclusion

We believe in collaborative efforts with government bodies, international agencies, civil society organizations, private sector entities and local communities to effect targeted impacts at grassroots levels.

Position: FINANCE OFFICER
Location: Suva

We are seeking a highly motivated and detailed – oriented individual to join our Team as a Finance Officer. The finance Officer will play a key role in maintaining accurate financial records, budgets, and expenditures, ensuring adherence to funding requirements and regulations, preparing payroll, donor reports, and support in budget planning under the guidance of the Finance Manager.

Required Qualifications:

- Bachelor Degree/ Diploma in Accounting Finance, or related field
- Proficient in using MYOB software as well as Microsoft Excel
- Proven experience of a minimum five years in finance roles, preferably in the NGO sector
- Experience in engaging with diverse stakeholders
- Strong attention to detail and accuracy
- Excellent organizational and time management skills
- Commitment to the mission and values of the organisation.

For a detailed job description, please contact Aisea Tuisue at [email protected].

How to apply:
Interested candidates are invited to submit their detailed CV and cover letter to:

The Executive Director,
Partners in Community Development Fiji,
P.O. Box 14447,
Suva.

Or email to: [email protected] & copy [email protected].

Applications close: 11pm 13th June 2024.

‼️Proposal Writing Workshops ‼️
Vanuaso and Navukailagi Districts - Gau
Today, PCDF completed the 2nd 4-days Workshop on Proposal Writing, earmarked for our Project sites of 8 communities on Gau Island in the Lomaiviti Group. The 2nd training concluded today for the committees and groups of Vione Qarani and Navukailagi in the district of Navukailagi and Lekanai village, while the first workshop was conducted for the committees and groups of Vanuaso, Nacavanadi, Lamiti, Malawai of Vanuaso District.
The Refresher Workshops reintroduced the participants to basic understanding of the development arena and donor agencies in Fiji, donor eligibility requirements, criteria, and conditions of developing community project applications or proposals. The trainings also highlighted the importance of linking the communities’ development aspirations to their existing (integrated) village development plans, IVDPs, which had been endorsed by community leaders and recognized by the various provincial authorities.
A key aspect of the workshops was to introduce to the participants, the SEED Fund component of the project, which was the practical application phase of their learning over the last 2 years. The SEED Fund provides the opportunity for communities to implement small scale community projects and resultantly address some of their development needs raised in their respective IVDPs.

There was great support from community leaders and elders on the inclusion and active participation of women and youth in their village development committees and groups, as evident in their participation these last 2 weeks. The women and youth will apply knowledge and skills acquired through the trainings implemented these last 2 years, to determine and design project proposals that will help them address some development needs outlined in their IVDPs and then coordinate with their community members on the ex*****on of their small projects. This is a great positive step towards inclusive development in rural communities, as this approach will allow women, youth and even persons with disabilities, to have their voices heard in community development spaces, through their representatives and we acknowledge the community leaders and elders of Vanuaso and Navukailagi districts for this.

‼️ STAY TUNED FOR UPDATES ON THEIR SMALL-SCALE COMMUNITY PROJECTS ‼️

These activities were funded by Brot für die Welt Bread for the World Regional Office Pacific with support from the Lomaiviti Provincial Council and the office of the Provincial Administrator-Lomaiviti.

Team PCDF concluded its inhouse Kobo Tool training today.
The 2 days training was facilitated by ADRA Fiji Kobo Leads and the ADRA SPD Technical Advisor, Ana Alberqueque.

This training supported organizational development in our efforts to streamline our data entry and analysis systems, for increased programme efficiency and impact-oriented deliveries. The training also addressed one of the areas for internal development, that was identified during our recent PCDF MEL Framework workshop that was held in February. This Kobo Training will enable PCDF Project Teams to improve data entries and analysis of surveys such as community profiling for baselines, MEL, humanitarian assessments such as IDAs and distribution.

Team PCDF will be digitizing and trialing out our community profiling forms in our target sites in Gau. As part of their engagement, ADRA will continue to provide ongoing support, post training, with PCDF’s Kobo Leads who will undergo one-to-one mentoring with Team ADRA on survey feedback from the trials and troubleshooting. PCDF is grateful for this collaboration with ADRA Fiji, who is also a partner in the humanitarian space. We were also joined by a rep from Plan International Pacific - Fiji / Solomon Island / Papua New Guinea , also a PCDF humanitarian partner.

The inhouse training was funded by Bread for the World Regional Office Pacific

Brot für die Welt ADRA Fiji Plan International Pacific - Fiji / Solomon Island / Papua New Guinea

Project Update ‼ Strengthening the Capacity of Communities for Independent Community Development- Continuation |
Bread for the World Regional Office Pacific Brot für die Welt

PCDF has completed its rounds of community consultations with current and new target sites in Sawaieke District on Gau Island in the Lomaiviti province. The Project will be working with the 3 districts of Navukailagi, Vanuaso and Sawaieke, all on Gau Island, totaling 16 communities with a combined population of more than 700 direct beneficiaries, for the next 3 years.

The Project, funded by Brot für die Welt, is focused on working with the various development committees and groups, in strengthening their capacities through key skills trainings and linking these to the development and achievement of their integrated village development plans (IVDPs), and connecting them to various development agencies in Fiji. This phase of the project will put all their learning to practice through a SEED funding component, where committees or groups, will apply the various skills learnt, to obtain SEED grants to help them address some of the development needs outlined in their IVDPs.

The series of consultations completed included the following activities – project presentations to the government stakeholders on the ground, awareness on the project details and workplan, IVDP reviews for the current districts of Navukailagi and Vanuaso, awareness on Brot für die Welt, and PCDF, as the implementing organization, and familiarization on the new SEED Funding initiative, its requirements and conditions.

The community consultations, IVDP reviews and awareness sessions were conducted in collaboration with government stakeholders including Lomaiviti Provincial Administrator’s office and the Lomaiviti Provincial Council. The project team was also accompanied by the Sawaieke district representative (Mata ni Tikina) in all the consultation meetings in the district.

These activities were supported by Brot für die Welt
Bread for the World Regional Office Pacific

PCDF MEL Framework Workshop
PCDF recently completed a 3-day workshop on the development of its organizational MEL Framework. This was a first for the organization and with support of partners from the Australian Volunteers International, AVI, through the Plan Fiji Consortium of the Fiji AHP - Australian Humanitarian Partnership Disaster Ready Program, PCDF engaged an external consultant to facilitate an inclusive and participatory process for the development of its organizational MEL Framework.
The entire process constituted 20 days, with initial consultations carried out with PCDF Management and staff, information research and analysis on existing PCDF MEL tools and processes, the facilitation of a 3-day workshop where staff discussed and populated the zero draft MEL Framework, and refining and the finalization of the PCDF MEL Framework and workshop report.
This new MEL Framework will guide PCDF’s implementation in the coming years and aid in the management of its strategic planning, monitoring, evaluation and learning systems, as the organization strives to effectively deliver impact-oriented interventions through its 5 strategic priority areas of:
- Natural Resource Management
- Community Capacity & Livelihood Enhancement
- Build Climate Resilient & Sustainable Communities
- Community Health Improvement
- Promote Good Governance, Gender Equity and Social Inclusion

This process had also identified few components of the organizational machinery, which we’ll work on strengthening, in our efforts to increase efficiency, enhance quality assurance in our deliverables and further foster lasting partnerships that will help PCDF achieve its organisational objectives and sustainability.
Workshop participants also got to have discussions with Kylie Willow, AVI’s the International Services Project Lead -AHP. It was also an opportunity for PCDF Management to discuss potential organizational development support with AVI.
AVI
Fiji AHP - Australian Humanitarian Partnership
Plan International Plan International Asia Pacific

Partners in Community Development Fiji (PCDF), in its 44th year of operation, collaborates with communities, donors, government, and other entities to enhance the quality of life in Fiji’s remote communities. As a local entity advocating for community interests, we employ community-centred approaches grounded in existing local knowledge, skills, and capacities. Embracing a learning ethos, we respect community structures and knowledge, working alongside leaders to ensure inclusive participation of women, youth, and marginalized groups, fostering local empowerment to address issues and drive change.

Our interventions encompass environmental, social, and economic dimensions to achieve our Strategic Priorities of:

- Natural Resource Management
- Community Capacity & Livelihood Enhancement
- Build Climate Resilient & Sustainable Communities
- Community Health Improvement
- Promoting Good Governance, Gender Equity and Social Inclusion

We believe in collaborative efforts with government bodies, international agencies, civil society organizations, private sector entities and local communities to effect targeted impacts at grassroots levels.

Position: Finance Officer
Location: Suva

We are seeking a highly motivated and detailed – oriented individual to join our Team as a Finance Officer. The finance Officer will play a key role in maintaining accurate financial records, budgets, and expenditures, ensuring adherence to funding requirements and regulations, preparing payroll, donor reports, and support in budget planning under the guidance of the Finance Manager.

Required Qualifications:

- Bachelor Degree/ Diploma in Accounting Finance, or related field
- Proficient in using MYOB software as well as Microsoft Excel
- Proven experience of a minimum five years in finance roles, preferably in the NGO sector
- Experience in engaging with diverse stakeholders
- Strong attention to detail and accuracy
- Excellent organizational and time management skills
- Commitment to the mission and values of the organisation.

For a detailed job description, please contact Aisea Tuisue at [email protected].

How to apply:
Interested candidates are invited to submit their detailed CV and cover letter to:

The Executive Director,
Partners in Community Development Fiji,
P.O. Box 14447,
Suva.

Or email to: [email protected] & copy [email protected].

Applications close:29th March 2024

🚨🚨NON-ESSENTIAL CIVIL SERVANTS URGED TO ASSESS SITUATION AND DECIDE ACCORDINGLY🚨🚨

Following the approval of the Hon. Prime Minister and careful consideration of the adverse weather presently affecting the country, all non-essential civil servants across the country are again advised to assess their situation and decide accordingly whether to report to work or work from home tomorrow, Thursday 21 March 2024.

✅ Read more ⬇️

Partners in Community Development Fiji (PCDF) in collaboration with Oxfam in the Pacific and other partners of the Social and Economic Empowerment Coalition (SEECF), as a programmatic outcome from the Shifting Power Shifting Voice (SPSV) project, launched a report on the unpaid care work, done predominantly by women and girls in rural Fiji which reveal some shocking figures on the amount of time spent by women and girls on unpaid care work.
Download the report from the link below or scan the QR Code
https://qrco.de/oxfampacific


Women in Fisheries Network- Fiji
Social Empowerment and Education Program- SEEP

Our new report on unpaid care work predominantly done by women and girls reveals some shocking figures, including that Fijian women perform more than 9 hours of unpaid care work every day while Fijian men in contrast perform an average of only 2-3 hours of unpaid care work a day. Read the full report at the link below or scan the QR Code:

https://qrco.de/oxfampacific


Partners in Community Development Fiji (PCDF) Women in Fisheries Network- Fiji Social Empowerment and Education Program- SEEP

Media Release

TROPICAL CYCLONE MAL CONTINUES TO MOVE TOWARDS THE FIJI GROUP AND IS LIKELY TO FURTHER INTENSIFY

Key Messages:
✅A Storm Warning is in force for Yasawa and Mamanuca Groups, Western and Southern Viti Levu, Vatulele, Kadavu and nearby smaller islands.
✅A Gale Warning remains in force for Rotuma, western half of Vanua Levu [Dreketi, Bua to Savusavu], Eastern Viti Levu and Lomaiviti Group.
✅A Strong Wind Warning remains in force for rest of Fiji.
✅A Heavy Rain Warning remains in force for the whole Fiji Group.
✅A Flash Flood Alert is in force for flood prone, small streams and low-lying areas across Viti Levu.

Details
At 3pm today, category 2 Tropical Cyclone (TC) Mal was located about 340 kilometres west-northwest of Yasawa-i-Rara or about 390 kilometres northwest of Nadi.

TC Mal has maximum winds of 55 Knots (100 kilometres per hour), gusting to 75 knots (140 kilometres per hour), increasing to 65 knots (120 kilometres per hour), gusting to 90 knots (170 kilometres per hour) by midnight tonight.

The system is moving southeast at 29 kilometres per hour and approaching the Fiji waters. TC Mal is likely to intensify into a category 3 system as it approaches the Fiji Group tonight.

Around midnight tonight, TC Mal is expected to be located about 220 kilometres west-southwest of Yasawa-i-Rara or about 200 kilometres west-northwest of Nadi.

Gale force winds with speeds of 65 kilometres per hour and gusts up to 90 kilometres per hour is expected from later this afternoon or evening over Yasawa and Mamanuca Groups, and from later this evening or tonight over Western, Northern and Southern Viti Levu, Vatulele, Kadavu and nearby smaller islands. Winds expected to further increase to storm force with speeds of 95 kilometres per hour and gusts up to 130 kilometres per hour from tonight.

For the western half of Vanua Levu [Dreketi, Bua to Savusavu], Eastern Viti Levu and Lomaiviti Group, expect gale force winds with speeds of 85 kilometres per hour and gusts up to 120 kilometres per hour from this evening or later at night.

For the rest of the Fiji Group, gale force winds expected with speeds of 55 kilometres per hour and gusts up to 80 kilometres per hour from tonight.

Gale force winds can cause significant damage to houses of very light materials and old galvanized iron roofs can be blown off. It is likely to cause disruption in communication networks and power supply due to damaged power lines. Small trees, most plants and crops are expected to be damaged and downed.

Storm force winds could damage weakly constructed houses and old residential structures. It can also break large trees which may consequently block roads and affect transport routes.

Meanwhile, heavy rain and thunderstorms is expected to continue over most parts of the Fiji group. This will cause localised flooding of low-lying and flood prone areas, localised flooding of minor roads, Iris crossings and bridges which may disrupt traffic flow.

Poor visibility out at sea and on land with increased risk of motor vehicle accidents due to slippery roads.

Mariners and seafearers are advised of increased risk for sea travel for all types of sea crafts due to gale and storm force winds over Fiji Waters. Also, hazardous breaking waves and coastal inundation of debris is expected along low-lying coastal areas, especially during high tides.

The impact of TC Mal should gradually ease from later tomorrow.

For more information and clarification, please contact the Acting Director of Meteorology, Mr. Bipen Prakash on 9905379 or [email protected].

For latest forecasts, you can visit the Fiji Meteorological Service website at www.met.gov.fj or you can follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

Click on the link to access the Heavy Rain Alert Bulletin: https://www.met.gov.fj/index.php?page=warn1 #20014.txt
Click on the link to access the daily Public Forecast updates: https://www.met.gov.fj/index.php?page=public
Click on the link to access the latest Strong Wind Warning (over waters) update: https://www.met.gov.fj/index.php?page=marine
Click on the link to access the 5-Day Tropical Cyclone Outlook: https://www.met.gov.fj/index.php?page=5dayoutlook

-End-

CBDRM Update | TC Mal Preparedness | Keteira, Moala, Lau

TC Mal preparations underway in Keteira village, Lau at midday today as Fiji braces for impact. Timely and coordinated efforts in preparing for such events are vital for minimizing potential risks and ensuring the safety and well-being of the community.
Here we see members of the Keteira CDMC (community disaster management committee) taking an active role in their own safety and well-being, making necessary preparations- securing shelter and property and boardering up houses.

Keteira village, with three other villages in Moala, underwent CBDRM trainings earlier this year as part of PCDF's and its partners efforts to build community capacity to be better prepared for and mitigate the impacts of disaster and climate change.

We hope everyone in Fiji is as prepared as the Keteira and Qarani communities with the looming threat of TC Mal.

⚠️Take heed of all the warnings and advisories issued.

⚠️Be vigilant, be safe.

📸credit: Anonymous - Keteira, Moala

CBDRM Update | TC Mal Preparedness | Qarani, Gau Island

It is indeed fascinating to witness communities taking proactive measures in the face of potential disasters, especially with the implementation of Community-Based Disaster Risk Management (CBDRM) action plans. Here we see members of the Qarani Community Disaster Management Committee in Gau, as updated by the District Officer Gau today, taking an active role in their own safety and well-being in preparations for disasters.

🚨Upon the issue of cyclone alert and warning from the NDMO and relevant authorities, the committee following their response plan, took lead in making necessary preparations with the looming threat of TC Mal.

⚠️Tropical Cyclone Mal has upgraded into a Category 2 system this morning.

🚨PCDF supports the Fiji NDMO's call to the general public to be vigilant, heed advisories and take necessary actions to ensure their safety.

📸credit: Iliseva Salabogi, District Officer Gau.

🌊Tsunami Ready | Disaster Ready update

PCDF was actively involved in the Tsunami Ready Recognition Programme in Fiji, working in collaboration with Mineral Resources Department (MRD- Seismology Fiji) in conducting Tsunami Ready training in two rural communities in Nadroga/ Navosa province.

The two communities, Naevuevu and Sila are located on the coastal area in the western part of Fiji and are most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. The program aimed to train and create awareness in these communities to meet the 12 key indicators, grouped into Assessment, Preparedness, and Response categories, which serve as the standard for reducing tsunami risk at the community level. This included training communities to understand their individual roles and responsibilities within the community disaster management committee to respond effectively in the event of a tsunami warning. Additionally, the different alert levels provided by Fiji’s Mineral Resources Department and the various advisories from Fiji’s National Disaster Management Office were emphasized.

The training culminated in the commemoration of the World Tsunami Awareness Day at the Shangri La Hotel in Sigatoka, Fiji, with the theme "Fighting Inequality for a Resilient Future." During this event, the Community Disaster Management Committees of Naevuevu and Sila, with their community members, conducted a Tsunami Drill, which was part of the Key indicators. This active involvement showcased the communities' commitment to being prepared and served as a public demonstration of their readiness and the efficacy of the training they've undergone. At the event, PCDF amongst other organizations and agencies were recognized for their commitments to building communities’ resilience and readiness to face potential disasters.

The events were funded by the USAID - US Agency for International Development, and partners from the International Tsunami Information Center, UNESCO, United Nations Development Programme - UNDP, JICA and supported by the Ministry of itaukei Affairs, the Ministry of Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management and PCDF.

COMMUNITIES EMPOWERED TO CREATE EFFECTIVE PLANNING FOR EVACUATION ROUTES AND RESPONSE PLANS DURING TSUNAMI

Communities in Naevuevu and Sila village in the province of Nadroga have been empowered to create effective planning for evacuation routes and response plans during the Tsunami.

Senior Officers from the Ministry of Lands and Mineral Resources's Seismology Division joined other Tsunami outreach stakeholders under the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (IOC/UNESCO) to provide awareness training from the 18th of September to the 22nd of September to participants in regards to the Tsunami Ready Recognition Programme.

Naevuevu and Sila village are located on the coastal area in the western part of Fiji, and are most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.

The two days training were received openly by the two villages where they were trained to identify evacuation routes and their individual roles and responsibilities in the community disaster committee during a tsunami warning.

The training emphasized on the different alert levels provided by Fiji’s Mineral Resources Department and the various advisories from Fiji’s National Disaster Management Office.

Participants were also informed of the importance of having an effective communication tool to receive and disseminate alerts for official warnings to the community members.

The training was funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and partners from the International Tsunami Information Center, Partners in Community Development Fiji, Itaukei Affairs and the Ministry of Rural and Maritime and Local Government.

Last Friday, we bade farewell to one of our longest-serving staff members, Mrs Feke Serau Draunidalo. For an incredible 15 years, Feke has been an integral part of our PCDF family, and her journey with us began in the most inspiring way.

Fifteen years ago, fresh out of university, Feke joined PCDF as a volunteer. Driven by a passion for our mission and an unwavering commitment to making a difference she began her journey in the finance department with our organisation. Little did we know then that her journey with us would be filled with dedication, growth, and countless accomplishments. At the point of her resignation, she was PCDF's Finance and Office Manager.

As Feke embarks on a new chapter in her life and career, we want to express our deepest gratitude for the invaluable contributions she has made to PCDF over the years.

Feke, your journey with PCDF may be taking a different path, but you will forever be a part of our family. We wish you boundless success, happiness, and fulfillment in all your future endeavors!