On the Cover DIGITAL PRINT www.yumpu.com I AM WOMAN is published and distributed by Vintage Link Fiji, 7 Matanitobua Street, Suva. All correspondence should be addressed to: GPO Box 17878, Suva, Fiji Islands For more information, please contact Lorraine Foster on 9969024 or email [email protected] PUBLISHER Lorraine Foster EDITOR IN CHIEF Fay Volatabu CREATIVE DIRECTOR Felix Colatanavanua CONTRIBUTORS Lorraine Foster Fay Volatabu Atelaite Senibua Michelle Neeling Archbishop Peter Chong Adi Eci Kikau Nabalarua PHOTOGRAPHERS Candace Veramu UN Human Rights Council Media Michelle Neeling Felix Colatanavanua Lorraine Foster GRAPHICS Felix Colatanavanua Evisake Baivatu MARKETING, ACCOUNTS & CIRCULATION Lorraine Foster Judge Nazhat Shameem Photography UNHR Council Media Layout & Design Felix Colatanavanua FEATURE STORIES Judge Nazhat Shameem-Khan Litea Masi Captain Ofa Fisher Qarase 06 20 30 06

CONTENTS 20 30 42 62 46 68 50 74 76 56 INTERNATIONAL FOCUS CLIMATE CHANGE FOOD LEISURE TRENDING MUSINGS WALKABOUT FITNESS SME HEALTH LEST WE FORGET 80 84 90 ISSUE 18

BREAK THE BIAS is this year’s (2022) cry to break the bias continues. It is more then two decades after th codifed into the Beijing Platform of There have been many advanceme break the gender bias is still one th world. You could say that is a diffcu To illustrate the advancements matering glass ceilings and challenginfessions but can not do others. Meet Fiji’s own Nazhat Shameem w Captain Ofa Fisher who is the highe own construction company. Read t gender bias. Our columns are flled with heartwa meet three interesting young wom shop at the height of COVID and an Also in the columns we share intere and development of the art of mas wave of COVID. Our Lest We Forget Column records faith but a woman who was a cham friend Mother Theresa had done. Su traditional kinship and had learnt t Our Walkabout Column challenges women who are breaking the bias, and also remember the women wh I hope that as you read the stories aing for those who celebrate the val It is never too late to start. Be the Change! Break the Bias! EDITORIAL by Fay Volatabu 4 APRIL | MAY 2022

International Women’s Day theme and even though it is two months later, the he 1995 Beijing Conference, where issues regarding women were discussed and f Action. ents done by women, as well as advancements done for women, but the call to hat needs to be shouted until there is truly no more gender bias existing in this ult thing to do but it is possible if we try. ade by women, we share the stories of three amazing Fijian women who are shatng gender stereotypes and the gender bias that women can only do certain pro who is a deputy Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, meet est ranking woman maritime offcer and meet Litea Masi who owns and runs her their stories and be pleasantly amazed at how far women in Fiji are breaking the arming stories of women globetrotting, women involved in business, and we also men; one who is passionate about climate change, another who started her coffee nother who is breaking the stereotype regarding call centers. esting life tips and information such as the benefts of water sports, the history ssages, the usefulness of having pets and we are also cautioned about the second s two personal tributes for a woman who was not only a stalwart in the Catholic mpion for the less fortunate and lived a legacy of love and compassion just as her usana Evening was not only a lady in her own right but she also knew the value of to evolve with time. s us to make our vote count, so as you read this issue, I urge you to celebrate , celebrate the women who are challenging stereotypes and redefning the world, ho have sacrifced to make women more visible . and columns you will vow to Be The Change and help create a new society by votlue of women and their contribution in society, by prioritizing their concerns. I AM WOMAN 5

JUDGE NAZHAT SHAMEEM-KHAN Shattering the Glass Ceiling Written By Fay Volatabu Photos Supplied

“I enjoyed public speaking at high school and I had a teacher in 5th form, Mr Cliff Benson who suggested that since I could not be persuaded to sit quietly in class, the law would be the best choice for me” ! She took up her teacher’s advice and coupled with her dreams of studying law in the United Kingdom, the young girl who could never sit quietly in class became one of Fiji’s trailblazers and today she is a Deputy Prosecutor in the International Criminal Court, in The Hague. Who is this Amazing woman? This amazing woman is Judge Nazhat Shameem-Khan, the third daughter of Mr Abdul Azeez Shameem and Mrs Ayesha Shameem. Judge Shameem’s father, Mr Abdul Azeez Shameem a young man from a village near Multan, in what is now Pakistan, migrated to Fiji many years ago to join his uncle, Master Abdullah who was a teacher and missionary in Fiji. Mr Shameem who was a poet and playwright married well known educator, Mrs Ayesha Shameem. Mrs Shameem was one of the frst local teachers to attend the Auckland Teachers Training College in New Zealand and subsequently taught at Dudley Methodist Mission School, Samabula Primary School and later Vatuwaqa Primary School, where she was head teacher for many years before her retirement. Sweareing in ICJ. Photo Supplied. 8 I AM WOMAN Photo Supplied.

Judge Nazhat, who is one of four sisters, lists her hobbies as reading, baking, travelling and visiting historical towns and countries. She loves her local cuisine which includes palusami (local delicacy of taro leaves baked with coconut cream), pumpkin curry and roti and chocolate cake, with her go to beverage as coffee. She lists travelling and reading as her leisure activities. Life at Home Growing up, the young Nazhat shared that one of the challenging things for her was the high expectations put on her and her sisters. She is the third of the four highly educated and accomplished Shameem sisters of Suva. The eldest is the Fiji’s previous Human Rights Commissioner and now Vice Chancellor of the University of Fiji Dr Shaista, the second eldest is academic and poet, Dr Nikhat and their youngest sister is New Zealand based cardiologist, Dr Raffat. Shameem Family. Photo Supplied. APRIL | MAY 2022 9

She shared that studying was something that was expected of them, when they were growing up. “I suppose we were all expected to succeed academically as my parents saw education as the great equaliser and liberator especially for girls. It was a challenge as they had high expectations, but secretly I enjoyed studying so it was not really a hardship.” She revealed also that some of her happy moments as a child were those spent with family and friends. “Family Christmases, where we all got together and staged dramas and performances for our extended family, Eids, where our many friends and family came to eat my mother’s samai, and Diwalis when we visited all our friends to light diya and frecrackers. My happiest times were with my family.” 10 I AM WOMAN Nahzat and family pictured in Switzerland. Photo Supplied.

Education The young Nazhat was educated at the Suva Infants School and Veiuto Primary School before completing her secondary education at Suva Grammar School. Young Nazhat then moved to London after high school to follow her teenage dream to study law in London. “I had dreamt of studying law in the United Kingdom and of becoming a barrister at the Inns of Court, as a teenager. My father researched entry requirements so I could tailor my studies for entry.” Judge Shameem shared that it was a challenge being a private student but support from her parents motivated her to study hard. “I was a private student so paying the fees was not easy for Fijian parents, especially when my younger sister also went to the United Kingdom to study medicine a year after I went but they were strong supportive parents, and it all eventuated-and we worked hard to get good marks so we would not disappoint them.” She studied at Sussex University from 1978 to 1981 where she attained her Bachelor of Arts in Law before moving to Cambridge University where she attained her Master of Law in 1982. She then went to Inner Temple London for the Inns of Court School of Law in 1983 where she was called to the Bar at Inner Temple before returning to Fiji. In 1988, she returned to Cambridge University for her Master of Philosophy in Criminology. APRIL | MAY 2022 11 Nahzat with pet. Photo Supplied Nahzat (12), Oratory Winner. Photo Supplied

Work The young Ms Nazhat Shameem worked in the offce of the Director or Public Prosecutions of Fiji from 1984 to 1999. In 1994, she was appointed Director of Public Prosecutions, and was the frst woman in Fiji to be appointed to the post. She held the post till 1999. She was sworn in as a High Court judge in 1999 making her again, the frst woman High Court judge. She left the judiciary in 2009 and became a private legal practitioner until 2014. She used this time as a private practitioner to share her knowledge and train lawyers and judges. “According to the rules of ethics in the United Kingdom, a former judge who goes into private practice should avoid appearing before her former colleagues on the Bench. I therefore decided that I would concentrate on training lawyers on litigation skills, judges on judicial skills and human rights, and the private and public sectors on good governance and corporate governance.” She revealed that it was a wonderful experience as she met many people, especially young people, whom she would not have met otherwise. “I worked in association with Ms Ana Tuiketei, and we learnt as much from each other and those who attended the training, as those who attended our training learnt from us.” 12 I AM WOMAN In session. Photo Supplied.

International Posting In April 2014 Judge Nazhat was appointed as the frst Ambassador of Fiji’s Permanent Mission to the UN and other International Organizations in Geneva and Vienna. She was also Ambassador to Switzerland during the period, 2014 to 2022. In January 2021 she made history when she was the frst president to be eleceted from a small island developing state, as well as being the frst Fijian and Pacifc Islander to be appointed President of the United Nations Human Rights Council. On March 8th, 2022 Ambassador Nazhat again made history being the frst person from the Asia Pacifc region to be sworn in as an elected offcial and as Deputy Prosecutor in the International Criminal Court in The Hague. The Ambassador’s Role Since her appointment as Permanent Representative, Ambassador Nazhat has supported many projects involving Pacifc Islands and she held many roles in various committees and councils in Geneva. She is especially proud of the work done by the Fiji Mission in Geneva on placing climate change and human rights, and climate change and health, on the agenda of international institutions based there. APRIL | MAY 2022 13 Nahzat at the UN Assembly. PhotoSupplied.

She worked towards universal representation of all countries in the Human Rights Council especially focusing on the Trust Fund for small island developing States (SIDS) and Least Developed Countries (LDCs). During Fiji’s frst year as a member of the Human Rights Council for the 2019- 2021 term, Amabassador Nazhat was nominated to be vice president of the Council by the Asia Pacifc Group. She chaired the Human Rights Council Task Force on Accessibility for Persons with Disabilities and during her tenure, created the Group of Friends of the Task Force dedicated to furthering the work of the Task Force. In 2020, Ambassador Nazhat was appointed co-focal point to address challenges faced by delegations from small and developing countries, in particular SIDS/LDCs, and to follow up on the implementation of the measures on the use of modern technology at the Council. These responsibilities became especially important during the COVID19 pandemic. When I queried Amabassador Nazhat about the inspiration or motivation for her work, her response refected her convictions about the rule of law and its importance in bringing about social change. “The belief that the law is an instrument for social change and justice in all societies, and the belief that a fair trial and objectivity in prosecutions are the pillars of a justice system that we can all be proud of.” Despite her obvious success, Ambassador Nazhat shared that like any other role, she also faced challenges. These included some of the following. “Speaking on diffcult and divisive issues at the Human Rights Council such as the right to health and health systems, and a sexual orientation mandate holder, working to further the integration of human rights and climate change at the Human Rights Council, working to establish agreement with the Fiji Trade Unions at the International Labour Organisation, operating a Mission in Geneva during the COVID crisis, and working to establish consensus during Fiji’s Presidency of COP 23 at the UNFCCC in 2017, as the Chief Negotiator.” Ambassador Nazhat believed however that all the challenges she faced always came to a successful conclusion because of the strong and committed teams who worked with her. 14 I AM WOMAN

I believe also that she may have been motivated by Ruth Baer Ginsburg who said “Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.” Many did support and join her as refected in her election as president of the Human Rights Council. APRIL | MAY 2022 15 Nahzat pictured with her husband. Photo Supplied.

President of the Human Rights Council’s Role In January 2021, Ambassador Nazhat Shameem Khan of Fiji was elected by a landslide as President of the UN Human Rights Council, after a contentious leadership bid left the body temporarily without a leader for the frst time in its 15-year history. Despite last minute bids for the post by Bahrain and Uzbekistan,Fiji’s Ambassador Nazhat was sworn in and after one of the busiest years in the council’s history, without a single session cancelled or postponed due to Covid-19 and 176 resolutions adopted spanning climate change, confict and vaccine equity, she no doubt proved herself as a steadfast leader. 16 I AM WOMAN Ambassador Nahzat Shameem Khan. Photo Supplied UN Media

Deputy Prosecutor On March 8th of this year (2022), Ambasador Nazhat was sworn in as a deputy Prosecutor in The Hague. This appointment to the Criminal Court, is yet another feat in her long line of achievements as she became the frst Fijian woman to be serving at the Hague. Ambassador Nazhat revealed that her work in the Hague involved “Supporting the Chief Prosecutor of the ICC, Mr Karim A.A. Khan QC, supervising prosecution teams at investigation and prosecution stages, and helping to shape policy at the offce of the Prosecutor of the ICC.” For a young girl from a tiny Pacifc Island nation, who could never be quiet in class, Nazhat Shameem has come a long way and I am sure that her teacher, Mr Cliff Benson would have been impressed and so proud of her. Not only did she become a lawyer, but she became a Public Prosecutor, a Judge, an Ambassador and at the United Nations she became the frst Pacifc Island President of the Human Rights Council and now she is a Deputy Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court, in The Hague. We honour Madame Nazhat Shameem-Khan for being a trailblazer, and proving that through determination, courage and hope, women in small island developing states and least developing countries can dare to dream big, be authentic, unique and break the bias to be anything they set their heart to accomplish. To quote former frst lady, Michelle Obama’s words. “There is power in allowing yourself to be known and heard, in owning your unique story, in using your authentic voice.” APRIL | MAY 2022 17 Nahzat. Photo Supplied . Nahzat pictured with her husband. Photo Supplied

Q&A with Ambassador Nazhat Shameem-Khan IAW : What has been some of the more satisfying and rewarding moments in your work in Geneva? Becoming the President of the Human Rights Council in 2021, with the strong and united support of the Pacifc Islands, working with a small but dedicated team of diplomats in Geneva, leading on issues of disaster displacement and translating international policy to national action on disaster displacement, and seeing the adoption of two important resolutions on climate change and the environment under Fiji’s Presidency of the Human Rights Council. Working with Fijian government agencies in Fiji on two cycles of Fiji’s Universal Periodic Review and witnessing important steps to implement the undertaking made by Fiji during its UPR. IAW : You are a trailblazer for women in Fiji, in the Pacifc and in the world .Do you think there is room for more women in the international arena? Please Explain There is a lot of room for Pacifc woman in the international arena. There are so few of us, we are often seen as the honest brokers with no agenda, and the source of a strong, committed yet empathetic voice in multilateral institutions. Multilateralism succeeds when there is trust amongst delegations. Trust is often in short supply. Yet that one voice in the room, from the Pacifc, can turn a diffcult conversation towards a successful compromise. I have seen this occur on many occasions, and I believe that at this time in our history there is a great need for voices from small island states in the Pacifc, and from Pacifc women who understand the intersectional nature of discrimination, who know the relationships (sometimes vexed) between culture and rights, who can speak wisely to the sensitive issue of gender identity and sexual and reproductive health, and who can lead inclusive and respectful conversations with all delegations. IAW: Do you think more women should be in positions of leadership? Why? You cannot lead without understanding the lived experiences of men and women in our society. Of course there are feminist men who understand the experiences of women, who know what it is like to be a single mother working in a small factory, who understand how it feels to be sexually harassed, who can manage child care without complaint, but I fear that such male feminist views would not represent the views of all men. Women’s leadership is im 18 I AM WOMAN

portant and essential from the point of view of social equity, but women who have experienced discrimination in their lives, then often become change agents for society. They know what it is like to suffer discrimination, and they are able to set in place institutional change which offers equity, workplace fairness, and a level playing feld for everyone. IAW: What do you think are characteristics of a good leader? Empathy, determination, and passion for the work of the institution. The ability to inspire others. IAW :What do you thing the International Women’s Day theme” Break the Bias : Gender Equality today for a more sustainable tomorrow mean and how can this be visualised in action or how do you think it can be realised? The only hope for sustainable social cohesion is gender equity. The only hope is the building of societies with an understanding of how discrimination and stereotyping can intersect on the grounds of gender, ethnicity and race, sexual orientation and gender identity, and all other grounds which lead to bias in our minds, to create injustice. Bias and stereotyping are a stranglehold on society’s ability to grow and to progress. When we judge a person on the basis of their race, or gender, we take away their individuality and their essential humanity. In doing so, we do great harm to ourselves, and to our society. Equality, respect and dignity are the sustainable foundations of tomorrow. APRIL | MAY 2022 19 BONN at COP23 Photos Supplied. Nahzat with son at Naples Sicily. Photos Supplied.

LITEA MASI I AM A WOMAN BUILDER Written By Lorraine Foster Photos Supplied & Felix Colatanavanua

Construction is an industry dominated by men in the global arena. Research shows that women working in the construction industry comprise only of 10.9%. [bigrentz.com]. The gender gap is huge and there are many factors contributing to this which is gender bias, lack of adequate training and the negative perception of women working in construction. Despite these barriers, women are now entering the construction industry as workers, professionals and owners. In Fiji, all construction businesses are owned by men. It is a highly competitive industry and the big construction companies take all the big projects. For the medium and small size construction companies, there is a lot of competition and in some cases there is bad publicity on the services or time they take to fnish a project and the charges. During COVID, it was highlighted to me that there was a woman owner of a construction business and she was good – I was instantly interested. Here is her story. Litea Masi doing some construction works. Photos Supplied. 22 I AM WOMAN

The First Woman Owner in Construction We found her – the only woman who owns a construction business here in Suva, Fiji. Her name is Litea Masi and at the tender age of 31 years old, she owns a construction business. She is from Kadavu and her dad is from Galoa while her mum is from Namalata. She is a proud ex-Grammar Secondary School Old student and has studied at the Fiji National University and APTC. She has worked in many construction companies and also worked for a while in the hotel industry. Her hobbies are travelling and socialising. Her favourite food is chicken soup and beverage is orange juice. She loves romantic type of songs like R & B. After leaving secondary school Masi started her tertiary education at the Fiji National University studying business administration because it was a tradition in her family to have white collar jobs. Even though she did not fnd any interest in business administration she went ahead with her studies to please her family but after a while, the disinterest set in and Masi began to hang out with her friends and was seen partying and chilling aimlessly. One morning she woke up and decided that the so called easy life style she was living would not beneft her. The constant asking for money from the family and hanging out aimlessly with friends was taking a toll on her and she realised this behaviour needed to stop. Masi decided to look for a job so she would no longer be fnancially dependent on anyone. Across the road from her family home was a Taxi Stand called Sanyo and she went across to ask for a job. She approached the owner Mr Ali Hassan and he immediately took Masi in as Night Controller. She worked three nights a week and the pay was not much but it was a start. The work was not easy with the long hours, Masi began to understand the value of money as she contributed to the family home expenses and bought things for herself. Litea Masi with her twin sister. Litea working on one of her project. Photos Supplied. APRIL | MAY 2022 23

Why Construction When Masi was a small girl, she would follow her uncles who did manual work like carpentry and building. She loved it and would help them if she could. Her love for the construction trade began then and as she grew up, she would do small maintenance work at home. When she was a teenager, Masi had an uncle who worked at the Grand Pacific Hotel and she asked her uncle if he could get her a job at the Hotel. She was prepared to do anything and her uncle was a bit concerned that Masi was female and that the Maintenance Section only had male staff.Masi insisted and this was Masi’s introduction into working in a male dominated industry. At frst her family was a bit disappointed at Masi for having a blue collar job, but Masi continued with the job she now loves. Her pay was good and Masi realised she was now in her comfort zone. As she progressed and got work experience, she worked at a few prominent construction companies and had jobs at a few fve Star and seven Star Hotels around Fiji. She also worked on the construction of private homes and throughout these years she learnt the logistics of construction work. While working in Nadi in the hotel industry, Masi began missing her family in Suva and one day she decided to leave everything in Nadi and come in to Suva. At this stage leaving behind a job and her friends, she left everything in God’s hands. When she got home, her family was so happy to see her and that night at home, there were pastors and they were looking for driver to take them to the west for a conference. They immediately hired Masi and this was 24 I AM WOMAN Some of Litea Masi’s projects. Photos Supplied.

the period where Masi became one with her God. In the evenings she would attend church service and one night a lady prayed over her and told Masi of her future. She foresaw Masi having a business, men working under her and becoming a successful business owner. It was at this point that Masi started working towards her future. Look at her today. While working for Tru Build, a construction company, Mr Ahmed Faruk, the owner would send Masi to do renovation work on a few of his projects. He immediately saw the great potential in Masi and how she was good at her work plus her excellent leadership qualities. He encouraged Masi to learn as much as she could while she was with him and infuenced Masi to open her own business. Masi was afraid as she was still in her twenties and felt she was too young but Mr Faruk kept on encouraging her. Today Masi accredits her motivation to start a construction business to Mr Ahmed Faruk and his wife Julier Cleary. Starting Her Own Construction Business With Mr Faruk continuously encouraging Masi to open her business, Masi reluctantly decided to start the process of opening her business. She was still unsure of herself but went ahead and got a Tax Identifcation Number for her new Company. As she did renovations, Masi started posting photos of her fnished work on social media and was pleasantly surprised to get good feed-back. She then got her frst job and was quite excited about it. She has never looked back since and when the Fiji Times did her story as a Woman Builder, this motivated Masi to seriously consider having her own business. APRIL | MAY 2022 25 Litea’s fnishing project for a bedroom. Another one of her kitchen project. Photos Supplied.

In 2018, Masi formally registered her construction company called Masi’s Interior Exterior Designing and Home Finishing. But to get her company up and running, Masi struggled as she needed tools and equipment for specifc job tasks. She needed funds to buy her own tools of trade. With tears in her eyes, Masi explained how she raised her own capital. Masi owned two phones and decided to sell the iphone. With the $150 she got from the sale, she bought meat and other food products and took a rental car to Naitasiri Highlands to sell the products in the villages. She had an understanding with the rental car company to give her a good deal. She did this every day for about two years and it was not easy. She had to wake up early every day, purchase the meat and food products to sell, pack the products and travel to the villages to sell the products. She would arrive home very late in the evenings very tired. Her consistency and sacrifce paid off. She saved, continued to contribute to family home expenses and bought equipment and tools for her business. Masi now is well known around the villages in Naitasiri and every now and then she visits the local pastors at these villages and contributes to their daily up keep. Masi frmly believes in God. She has left everything in his hands. If she has work in villages, she ensures she gives her sevusevu and contribute towards the Pastor’s daily upkeep. Sometimes when driving around for work, Masi is seen talking to herself but she isn’t. She sometimes speaks to God and she is not ashamed to let me know of this. 26 I AM WOMAN Litea Masi pictured with a fnished installiation of roofng iron on a property.

In 2021, Masi applied for the YGAP/YHER Program for women enterprenuers and her application was accepted. From the high number of applications, Masi was selected to attend their boot camp at the Pearl Resort. The week long boot camp was about business development and was designed to support women owners to develop market based solutions to address social and environmental problems. This program was such an eye opener for Masi and in April 2022, Masi was selected to show case her business services to the public. This was a huge success. Today Masi has six full time staff who are experienced in almost all felds in the building trade. The Company offers the following Job Tasks: • Home Renovation / Building • Kitchen Renovation • Tiling • Painting • Plumbing • Electrical • Carpentry • Welding • Joinery • Plastering • Other construction work As owner of the business, Masi orders materials for her clients where she uses her network in the hardware industry to get quality materials. She gets quotes and discusses material costs with her clients. The time period for the project is confrmed and the project starts. She is seen on-site with her workers to supervise, offer assistance and do work. Her workers always consult her for help on certain job tasks they are unsure of. There are exchange of ideas and learnings between one another. There is always mutual respect between the workers and Masi. When Masi builds or renovates private homes, she tries to bring the essence of the hotel décor into the designs. She feels it gives that special classy look to the home. She does all her administrative work in her spare time and for a young entrepreneur, she is on the right path as she has her logo, business stamp, business bank account, business deposit books and other documents needed to conduct a successful business. During COVID, Masi’s business did not get affected as they had construction projects but had an issue with the shortage of materials. She jokes that most of the white collar jobs had to stay home while she was busy during COVID. APRIL | MAY 2022 27 Litea Masi’s Business name and logo. Photo Supplied.

Future Plans Masi is an introvert – soft spoken but has a lot of confdence in herself. When she spoke about her future, I was awed at how sure she was concerning her future plans. I know she will achieve her future goals and we are excited to see the progress in the next fve years. Through her work Masi realised the issue of going from one hardware store to the next, to fnd specifc materials and equipment. It takes time and can be expensive to travel from one store to the other. Her future plan is to have a Hardware Store that has everything that a builder wants. As she says “Everything under one roof.” This hardware store will be open for extended hours and if possible a 24 hour one stop shop would be handy. An advantage in a 24 hour hardware store is that there is a minimum time period to receive materials. Materials can be ordered in the evening and delivered the next morning when everything opens. There have been many complaints about delays of delivery of materials from hardware stores. This causes delays in the work being completed on time. Masi’s vision of a good hardware store is to also have access supply of materials to cater for natural disasters and there is no shortage. During COVID it was diffcult to complete projects as there were shortages of materials and it caused unnecessary delays. She believes in local quality products. With Climate Change being an issue in Fiji, Masi is looking at venturing into the building of sea walls using recycled materials like empty bottles and other materials. She has been doing research on this venture and Masi is a strong believer in using recycled materials and local materials. It will also help in keeping the environment clean. We wait in anticipation for this plan to become a reality. 28 I AM WOMAN Litea Masi working on her project(s). Photos Supplied.

Advise to Young Women Looking For a Career Masi is a believer in blue collar jobs. In her industry Masi says “The Construction Industry is not about education. There are young people that come into the industry with written qualifcation that have a high expectation of what they want to do. In this Industry, it is mainly about the passion you should have to enjoy your work.” According to Masi, the construction business needs more women because they are unique in a sense that they look at the fner details of what they are building. This trait is obvious in Masi’s work as she is quite fussy about the fner details. Her fnished kitchen and bathroom renovations are “wow” factors. Today Masi looks after her mum and takes care of her family household needs. She adamantly says “When we were young, our parents looked after us and therefore when we are able to stand on our own two feet, we should look after our parents.” Masi stresses to all young people to respect your parents. Domestic Violence “Domestic Violence happens in Fiji because men think they are it. They earn money for the family and think they can do anything. If it was me, I will tell the man to get out. I don’t need you here. It is because I can look after myself fnancially.” “I feel sorry for some women who can’t say anything because they depend on men. We women can do anything. We can go out and get a job and earn a living and look after ourselves and our family.” As the interview came to an end. I was totally amazed at the humbleness of this young woman and her closeness to God. She says she feels at peace now and loves being on her own and coming back home after work and relaxing. She does have time for friends and goes out and have a good time but she has priorities. We will continue to follow Masi’s life journey closely and we hope her story has motivated some of you to keep striving.We leave you with this quote that best describes Masi – “You will be defned by not just what you achieve, but how you survive.” – Sheryl Sandberg APRIL | MAY 2022 29

CAPTAIN OFA FISHER-QARASE The Seafarer Written By Fay Volatabu Photos Supplied & Felix Colatanavanua

“ The maritime world offers alternative schedules and lifestyles for those looking for something a little less traditional. “ These are the words of a woman who was inspired to work in the water from childhood. She decided to follow her dream and today she is the most qualifed woman in the maritime industry. Who is She? She is 49 year old Ofa Fisher Qarase, of Viani Bay in Vanua Levu (the northern island of Fiji), who has maternal links in Lakeba, Saqani (also on the Northern island of Fiji), and is the third in a family of four females and one male sibling. She is married to Josefa Qarase, of Mavana Vanua Balavu (another island in the Eastern maritime region of Fiji) and is a mother of three boys. Being from the maritime region, it is no wonder that Ofa is inclined to work near the sea that even her eldest son has followed her inclination and is now also studying at the maritime institute, learning nautical knowledge, to become a Master on a ship. Ofa pictured on a shipping vessel. Photos Supplied. 32 I AM WOMAN 2022

Ofa loves singing and reading, cooking, diving and fshing, playing netball and volleyball. Her favourite food is home made delicacy of her province, wacipoki (stuffed taro leaves cooked in coconut milk) and her favourite drink is bu (green coconut water). Her leisure activity is listening to her calm music while cooking dinner. Education Ofa’s primary education was at Somosomo District School and her secondary education was at nearby Bucalevu Secondary School before completing her studies at the Methodist girls school Ballantine Memorial, in Suva. Ofa attended the Fiji Institute of Technology (now the Fiji National University) where she studied for her Diploma and also attained qualifcations to be a Master on a ship. She also attended the University of the South Pacifc where she was one of two trained at their TAFE institute as certifed trainers and assessors. Ofa then attended the World Maritime University in Sweden where she attained her Masters of Science in Maritime Affairs specializing in Maritime Safety and Environment Administration. Currently she is the highest qualifed woman seafarer in Fiji. Ofa with her collegues graduating from World Maritime University in Sweden. Photos Supplied. APRIL | MAY 2022 33

Why Seafaring? Ofa shared that her dad who is a seafarer and a diver inspired her to follow this path. She added that she was always near the sea. “Where we stay we don’t use cars but travel by boats.” Ofa shared that though her interest was always to work in the sea, she however tried working on dry land but found the work unsuitable for her. “Soon after school I was working with the British and American Insurance offce but I couldn’t do my work and was always falling off to sleep so I went back home and stayed home for a while.” Ofa then decided to do what she had always wanted, learn skills and maybe start a business doing what she loved the most, working near or at sea. Work Experience Ofa’s experience is vast and she is currently a consultant at South Sea Towage Limited which is located at Eliza Street. Her work is to provide consultation to address maritime environment issues, including pollution, safety and security to ship and personnel. She also provides information on maritime nuclear radio activities to SIDS (Small Island Development States). She has also done work for Sustainable Maritime Services and done consultancy work at SSTL, MSAF, TPAF and FNU. She was also Captain of the vessel Aggressor, and worked at Bligh Water Shipping and Captain Cook Cruises. With all of Ofa’s experience it is understandable that she had views about the maritime training and the standards of maritime industry. Ofa working from home. Photos Felix Colatanavanua 34 I AM WOMAN 2022

Maritime Training As the Chairperson of Women in Logistics and Transport in Fiji Ofa revealed her plans for the development of women. The frst was to have more women attain higher qualifcations. Ofa shared that a lot of women worked on board ships but the issue was getting them to move up the ranks. “We need to meet all those on board and talk to them about the challenges they meet on board. Try and expose them to other courses to help them grow as a seafarer.” Ofa shared that women had to increase their knowledge and skills on dry land by going back to study so they could move up the ladder of leadership at sea. There were many ways to reach the rank of Master. One option was to enter as a cadet and train to be an offcer. The other was to be an ordinary seamen and go up the ranks to Deck Watch rating, Deck Able seaman then Master. For engineers they could move up the ranks from Engineering Watch rating, Engineering Able Seamen to Chief Engineer. Ofa shared that there were two classes of Master on ships. Class 2 were Masters or Chief Engineers Engines of a boat and Class 1 who were offcers on International Foreign going vessels with unlimited tonnage. Ofa being greeted by other offcers. Photos Supplied. APRIL | MAY 2022 35

Ofa shared that time spent at sea also contributed to ranking after being trained on land. There were various sea times of working at sea for ranking under the International Maritime Organization Globally. According to the STCW Convention which Fiji had ratifed these were the standard times for qualifying seamen. From Ordinary Seamen to Deck watch Rating it was six months. For promotion from Deckwatch rating to Able Seamen it was 18 months and from Able Seamen to Master it was 36 months. Apart from the need to improve qualifcations for seafarers, Ofa was also interested in seeing the general improvement of conditions in the maritime industry which was diffcult as she saw the Maritime sector being wrought with challenges. Maritime Challenges There were many challenges but for a start Ofa felt that there was a need to implement treaties and conventions that have already been ratifed by the government. Fiji needed to implement the Maritime Convention and she said doing so would contribute to more income coming into the industry and to the economy. March on W0RLD MARITIME DAY. Photos Supplied. 36 I AM WOMAN 2022

For starters Fiji needed to be a Port of Registry and there needed to be a localization of services which could be done if Fiji was a Port of Registry. Being a Port of Registry would enable us to make agreements with international ship owners, for example a ship calling in to register would have agreements with the local authorities and Fiji could then have a Port of Registry with Foreign ship owners. We would then be able to regulate and implement Maritime Conventions and have MOUs with nearby countries to allow seafarers to move around. Fiji could become a hub in the Pacifc. In addition to the above issues, Ofa felt also that policies needed to be put in place to cover the minimum rate for seafarers and demarcate workers on land from those working at sea. An additional challenge also was that there were no courses given for engineers so there was no movement upward and no courses were offered for outside training. With all the work challenges Ofa observed also that environment degradation was also something that needed to be addressed Ofa also shared that in all her work she was aware that women only made up three percent of the industry so she was keen to work towards getting more girls and women interested and qualifed to go up the ranks. She also hoped that more scholarships would be given to Women Seafarers so more women could be identifed to go for training. Ofa revealed that since women made up a very small percent of the maritime industry, she was hopeful that one day women would break the bias and see the maritime industry not only as a viable employment option but also as a very lucrative career option. She shared that women were going into aviation but as a comparison a person with Master Class 1 qualifcation had more pay then aviation pilots.A point worth pondering over. “My interest and my purpose is seeing all the younger generation to go as high as they can in their careers.” For a woman who is already a trailblazer in a very male dominated feld, I am sure that this is something to look forward to and if her track record is something to go by, the Fiji Maritime sector is going to see a shift to have more women seafarers in the not too distant future. APRIL | MAY 2022 37

Ofa’s achievements also include the following. • Ofa has written two manuals for Safety Safe Ship Managament System (SSMS) and, (ISM) International Safety Mode Code • She has a Maritime ships and Port Security.. Certifcate • Has Taught more then 6000 students at FNU (Fiji National University): Class 6 Master Engineer • Masters: Less then 300 tonnage • Captain: Dive Boat: • USP: Training Assessor Certifcate 4 • FIT: Diploma in Nautical Science: • Ofa was one of the frst fve women to be sponsored by ITF for a course in which she represented Fiji in glo-fouling –Fiji was chosen to be the leading country • She also attended a course in Cuba and Jamaica on Nuclear Radio Activity Maritime and International Agreement. Ofa pictured at work on a shipping vessel. Photos Supplied. 38 I AM WOMAN 2022

Ofa Fisher Qarase in her attire classed as, Captain. Photos Felix Colatanavanua APRIL | MAY 2022 39

Q&A with Captain Ofa Fisher-Qarase IAW: What has been some of the most challenging times in your career? When I’m discriminated as a woman in the man’s feld. IAW: What has been some of the more satisfying and rewarding moments in your work? Having to teach and train personnel who feel more confdent with you and having to see them excel in their career. IAW: Do you think more women should be involved in the work that you do? Explain Yes I strongly believe that more women should be involved in this feld because of the following reasons: • Competitive pay: Especially as an alternative to college and avoiding student debt, working in the marine industry offers competitive salaries. Also, you save money not paying for meals or accommodations when you’re on the job. • Travel: Getting paid to travel the world is a huge draw for many people who work on the water. You get to work all over the world and have the open sea for an offce. • Condensed work schedule: If you like the idea of getting all of your work out of the way at once, then working at sea might be perfect for you. People will often work for long periods at a time, followed by long periods off — which can mean you have months off that you can spend however you like. • An alternative to a typical 9 to 5 job: Many people are trying to avoid spending their professional lives in an offce. The maritime world offers alternative schedules and lifestyles for those looking for something a little less traditional. • Respect: Working your way up to become an offcer on a large vessel is something that commands respect around the world. The maritime industry offers a non-traditional route for women to fnd rewarding careers of which they can be proud. • Job Security: With the marine sector only growing, the opportunity to fnd employment won’t be diminishing any time soon — it’s an industry you can rely on. 40 I AM WOMAN 2022

IAW: Do you think more women should be in positions of leadership? Yes, I strongly believe they should as women are often considered to be more productive than man. IAW: What do you think are characteristics of a good leader? A good characteristic of a good leader is to see that his/her worker achieves their dreams. IAW: What do you think the International Women’s Day theme” Break the Bias : Gender Equality today for a more sustainable tomorrow mean and how can this be visualised in action or how do you think it can be realised? Having more women is good for business and for society. Yet there are many conscious and unconscious biases around us, which hinder the forward movement of women. Our industry specifcally is male dominant and is not considered favourable for women. I, for one, am a strong believer that we have the power within us to overcome these challenges if we set our mind to it. We must shine a spotlight on our sisters to get inspired to break these self-limiting beliefs by conquering their minds. IAW: State a fun fact I went to school in Bucalevu in the 80’s and we used to hand pick avocados which were then sent to Buckingham Palace for the Queen. IAW: State a fact with regard to seafaring? To be a Class 1 Master on a boat is equivalent to having a degree on land. Ship display Singapore. Photo Supplied. APRIL | MAY 2022 41

On May 31, 1991, a group of people gathered at Perth International Airport in Western Australia to wave goodbye to a 20-year-old woman who was fying off to live in Japan. Those people – the woman’s dad, brother, sisters and friends – didn’t know that day that the woman would never come home again. But now they know. And I know too. Because that young woman was me. And I’m still roaming the globe 31 years later. I don’t know what it is that makes a person transition overnight from someone who’s never left their state to someone who transits the globe for three decades. (Although my therapist and I are working hard to fgure it out!). I’m not sure I ever intended to stay away for good. I was restless in WA and I was desperate to explore other places and cultures. But the staying away forever bit sort of happened by accident. I lived in Japan for a couple of years then moved to London. And I loved it so much there that I stayed. And stayed. And then I realized that my life was there, that I’d built some foundations beneath my feet that were hard to walk away from. So I stayed some more. I even got the passport. INTERNATIONAL FOCUS My Life in a Bubble – Introduction Michelle posing in her pacifc island themed attire. 42 APRIL | MAY 2022 Michelle used to be a photographer for I AM WOMAN MAGAZINE. She now resides in China and will be providing us with updates of her travels in this column.

Then one sunny day I met a lovely Englishman whose hankering for adventure matched my own. He was living in South Africa when we met, and I visited him there a couple of times, and he few over to the UK to meet my friends and family. And we decided that we were the real deal, and that we were going to stay together forever. And so fnally it took an Englishman to drag me away from England. In June 2010 I moved with Mike to Jerusalem, then in 2012 to Switzerland, where the two of us became four. Three years later we moved to Pakistan. Then in 2017 our frst ever fight on the national carrier of a beautiful South Pacific island nation took us to our new home… Ah, Fiji… What a glorious four years we had on your stunning shores! The frst twelve months were tough - it always takes me some time to fnd my feet in a new place – but when we moved into a lovely house on the beach at Suva Point, our real Fiji lives began… There’s so much to love about life in Fiji. Our twins, Keir and Viggo, started their school life at Waldorf, where their lovely teachers gave them all the support they needed to ease in to education in their own sweet time. Then when the boys were about to turn fve they were ready for the big school… From the moment they frst arrived at ISS they were in love! Mike was very happy in his job with a humanitarian organisation. His work took him all over the South Pacifc so the boys and I didn’t always see a lot of him, but with the help of our beautiful nanny and the wonderful woman who looked after our house, we found our rhythm. And as for me… One of the ironies of life as a “trailing spouse” is that you have lots of help at home – help that you could really do with in “normal life” when you’re run ragged trying to tick everything off your to-do list - but you’re not allowed to work… Across the globe, there are thousands of expat Wives and Girlfriends and Boyfriends and Husbands (OK, maybe WAGs works, but not BAHs so much…) who are trying to fgure out creative ways of contributing to the countries they fnd themselves living in. As I discovered in those early days in Suva, you can only bake so many banana cakes with the kids before the walls start closing in… INTERNATIONAL FOCUS by Michelle Neeling Michelle with her sons. Photos Supplied. APRIL | MAY 2022 43

There are lots of people in Fiji doing incredible work to improve the lives of others. I could see people all around me doing amazing things – volunteering at the hospital, raising money for sick kids or ailing adults, bringing in teams of surgeons from abroad to perform free heart surgeries, looking after elderly people who could no longer look after themselves. After joining some groups and talking to a lot of people, I decided that my skills were unfortunately not in doing; an Arts degree didn’t set me up very well for a lot of that. But while I couldn’t do, I could certainly document. So me and my camera got busy. Very busy. Before covid threw a big wet blanket over the world, I’d become pretty much a fulltime volunteer photographer. I used whatever photography skills I’d acquired along the way to help charities in any way I could - doing family photo shoots for the families of sick kids here, photographing fundraising events there, even running workshops to share my love of photography with others. But alas, all good things must come to an end. In April 2021 it was time for us to say a tearful moce mada to Fiji, and to start our long journey across a pandemic-ridden world to our new home in China. In her wonderful book Lolita in Tehran, Azar Nafsi writes, “You get a strange feeling when you’re about to leave a place, like you’ll not miss the people you love but you’ll miss the person you are now at this time and this place, because you’ll never be this way ever again.” I get it. I do miss the people I love in Fiji, but after nearly a year in China, I also really miss the person I was and the life I was living. I’d imagined before leaving Fiji that when I arrived in Beijing I’d be able to hit the ground running as a photographer… Photographing people is my passion and there are really A LOT of people here to photograph! But being an events photographer in a country with a zero-covid policy is like being an arborist on the moon… Your skills are slightly superfuous to requirements. So my camera doesn’t come out so often anymore. And when it does it’s just to capture memories for me and my family. INTERNATIONAL FOCUS Michelle with her family. Photos Supplied. 44 APRIL | MAY 2022

And I’m forced to reinvent myself yet again. This time I’m focusing on an occupation that requires less equipment than photography does. No cameras, lenses, backdrops, fashes and refectors now… All I need is paper and a pen. Things are still incredibly strict here, covid-wise - and indeed here in Beijing things are currently getting much stricter – so while I can’t regale you with tales of travels across the Middle Kingdom, I can tell you some stories about life in my Beijing Expat Bubble in the strange and interesting year of 2022. Things are unfolding so rapidly here – or should I say folding, into ever smaller squares that reduce us from big-city dwellers to inhabitants of the four white walls of our apartment – so I’ve started journaling my experience fve times a day. An alarm is set on my phone for 9am, 12pm, 3pm, 6pm and 9pm, and every time it goes off I grab a pen and write for three minutes about what’s going on. I’m sure that for all of you out there in the rest of the world this is going to read like a diary from April 2020. But I failed to keep a diary back then – just like I failed to keep a diary when I got on that frst plane way back in 1991 - so maybe this will be my second chance to document how the world looks from lockdown and beyond. I look forward to sharing my bubble with you. INTERNATIONAL FOCUS All smiles, Mrs Michelle Neeling. Photos Supplied. I AM WOMAN 45

FOOD Q& A with the owner of RETRO Café The latest sensation at the Sigatoka Coral Coast is a hip café with a very catchy name. We spoke to the owner and she shared some insights on the reason for the café and how she has been doing so far. The Owner • Name :Kaajal Krishtika Narayan • Hobbies :Cooking, Swimming,Fishing,Listening to music watching movies • Favourite Food : Any type of grilled and spicy food • Favourite Drink :Black Coffee, Mother Energy drink, hot mocha • Favourite Leisure activity :Taking my dogs to the beach for a swim • Primary Education : Lomawai Indian School (Sigatoka) • Secondary Education: Cuvu College (Sigatoka) • Tertiary Education : TPAF Namaka (Commercial Cookery) RETRO Café A picture of a Retro Cafe’s product. Photos Supplied. 46 APRIL | MAY 2022

FOOD The Café When did you offcially open? Retro Café opened on April 1st 2022 When did you start operations? I started working in the Café in August 2021 when it was just a space allocated by the council. My husband and I have made his café together. It took us so many months but it is worth it. What are your opening hours? The cafe opens at 5am because there are a lot of people travelling to work that early. There aren’t any cafes and restaurants opened at that time. Where are you located? The Cafe is just beside the highway so that makes it easier for anyone to hop in for a quick take out, coffee and sandwiches. Shop 3, Cuvu Market just beside the Police Post. How has opening the coffee beneftted you? There aren’t any coffee shops around this area so having one in this area is an advantage for the people of Cuvu and for the travellers and passers by. What are the range of items you serve? There are grilled food, loaded fries, kids meals, hot and cold beverages, iced mochas, fresh home baked muffns and doughnuts What is the Favourite? My most favourite is grilled ¼ chicken menu. Who owns the Café? It is co-owned bymy husband Vikesh Kumar and I. Do you have any help? Yes there’s a girl working with me who left Form 4 because her marks were average, she then did vocation studies and now she is working with me. She is really hardworking girl and she loves to work as chef. Would you recommend this kind of work to other women? Yes I highly recommend this kind of work because cooking isn’t just about making food. It is about bringing out the best in you from what you are great at and making individuals fall in love with food. by Fay Volatabu APRIL | MAY 2022 47

FOOD General Who has been your greatest motivation? My mother has been the strongest pillar in our family. She has a always worked hard for me and my sisters and took care of everything that we needed . Looking at how hard she works in the farm everyday has motivated me today to work hard, to be independent and successful in life. “ The strongest actions for a woman is to love herself, be herself and shin amongst those who never believed she could.” What is the most most challenging thing you have faced? Finance. During COVID I lost my job as chef at the Shangri La. My husband was the only one working and that to short hours when we planned to make this shop. We took the risk of putting all the savings to make this café during this pandemic What are some of your happy moments? Seeing guests who come in and get happy about something new that is in the Cuvu area. The best thing about running the café is doing what I love to do and that is making good coffee, drinking good coffee and cooking with favours I love Do you think more women should be in positions of leadership? Why? Yes I do. Women and their strengths have always been downplayed in society for centuries now. It’s 2022 and its time to break barriers and rise above the systemic biases, inequities and social stereotypes. What do you think are characteristics of a good leader? I believe a good leader must have effective leadership skills and ultimately they must have uncanny abilities to bring out the best in others through truly caring, having humility, and leading through infuence. Inside Retro Cafe. Photos Supplied. Cold beverages soldd at Retro Cafe. at the cafe. 48 APRIL | MAY 2022