Smarter, Healthier, Better Fiji.
"Powering Health Literacy through Volunteerism" |
We are a non-for profit, run primarily by volunteers from Fiji and abroad.
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Health Literacy Programs July 2017 with Monash University & Open Colleges Students |
Health Literacy Programs - Feb 2017
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We designed and implemented Fiji's first school health & wellness policy, having worked in more than 25 schools, 20 villages and numerous corporates. Our programs have touched the lives of more than 150,000 Fijians so far. We have designed and conducted volunteer based programs for various volunteer agencies over the past 5 years, engaging more than 300 volunteers from all academic backgrounds, especially in nutrition, sports science and dietetics. We specialize in impact education and behaviour change models, and health empowerment through institutions and communities. Facts1
We run programs directly, cutting out the middleman and agencies, ensuring that the money goes to community based programs, whilst safeguarding our organisation sustainability. Our homestays or group accommodations are only going to provide healthy local food, focusing on global nutrition principles, whilst empowering the locals. How much does it cost to take part in our projects? Our primary objective is to deliver and facilitate quality health literacy programs to the Fijians, while offering affordable volunteerism opportunities to all. We do not charge any application fees. Placement fees covers home-stay accommodation, breakfast, lunch & dinner, supervision, project expenses, administration, and school registration fees. Any leftover funds is pumped back into the organization for public health projects (every 6 months) and organization sustainability. We have field supervisors at project sites and volunteers do not pay for any office or marketing costs. We are a not-for profit organization, and as such, project fees are low and depends on the length of stay in Fiji. Our main objective is to deliver quality health literacy projects in Fiji. We value the power of volunteerism and appreciate the skills and knowledge each volunteer brings to the project. Major chunk of the project fees is taken up by accommodation, meals and logistic management. Email your expression of interest on the intended length of stay and your budget, and we would be happy to accommodate reasonable offers. Average cost of projects are around AU $250 - $500 per week depending on length of stay and the nature of work we are engaged in during the period. Due to fixed fees, longer stays are cheaper. Apart from this, you will have to consider your airfares, volunteer visa fee of FJD 180, mandatory travel Insurance, tours, travel to and from placement (approx $2 per day) and spending money. Please email us for family or group fees. The main project supervisor is an Australian qualified nutritionist and Health Science graduate with Training & Assessment Certificate, and we sign off on all volunteer placement/attendance forms. Why 50 % of Fijians are projected to acquire Diabetes within the next 5 years, placing a huge social, economical and emotional load on their families. Currently, 1 in 3 Fijians are found to have elevated blood sugar, and this is primarily attributed by the excessive consumption of simple carbohydrates like white rice, refined flour and cassava (a local root crop with very high Glycemic Index). The biggest challenge to better health in Fiji is the lack of health literacy and good food culture that goes along with it. Pre-mature deaths (around 11 a day) due to NCDs is now seen as normal in Fiji and we are trying hard to change the mindsets of the Fijians everyday. More than 90% of the people have abdominal obesity and this increases the risk of NCDs. More younger people are now showing signs of Diabetes than ever before. Very few people are doing physical activity for recreation and this has just been the culture. Modernization is taking over Fiji without the appropriate health literacy. People are taking short cuts without realizing the impact it is having on their health. Our objective is to empower Fijians to make informed decisions about their lives through simple, innovative and evidence based health programs. Our projects allow us to do research to better understand health attitudes and behaviors in Fiji. We aspire to transform health behaviors and save the next generation from the misery and suffering of NCDs. We do this mostly through our school health education programs, empowering a new generation of change. You will map personal health attitudes and behaviours through a personal health mapping questionnaire and counsel Fijians on good dietary and wellness guidelines. Monitoring and evaluation is an integral part of our programs. We will map behaviour change and provide support programs to motivate the change. Our support programs are cooking classes, innovative recipe ideas, backyard gardening, permanent agriculture practices, superfood gardens like Moringa farm or a Bele farm, physical activity groups, creation of sustainability groups amongst young mothers and youths, and FIji Vitality Challenge. The Fiji Vitality challenge emphasizes on holistic health, natural foods and improving quality of life for the Fijians. Physical Activity - Sports We have partnered with Gymnastics Australia to develop innovative Fitness for Health programs in Fiji to encourage behaviour change amongst the Millennials, which in turn, would foster a healthier generation. For more on Gymnastic Australia Programs, please visit www.gymnastics.org.au ACATA Policies |
Olivia Hughes - RMIT, Australia
Volunteer Testimony -2017 
Christina Zorenboehmer, Postgraduate Student- UK, September 2016
ACATA Nutritionist, Sarah Burgess-Lal (far left) and ACATA Executive Director, Rosan Lal (far right) launching the School Health & Wellness Policy in a Primary School in Nadi.
August 2016: Volunteers Bethany and Christina from Denmark leading a school lunch hour Zumba session.
Physical Activity & Sports Programs are in Partnership with Gymnastics Australia
ACATA Fitness for Health
Project Partners
ResourcesExternal content- authors are specified in document.
Diabetic Foot Sepsis in Fiji: Incidence and review of literature
www.health.gov.fj/eJournal/index.php/2016/02/18/diabetic-foot-sepsis-in-fiji-incidence-and-review-of-literature/ Diabetes in Fiji - Jacqueline White
Volunteer Videos
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The People of ACATA
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MEDICAL HEAD Dr. B. P. Ram MBBS, DTPH (Uni. Sydney), HPM (Harvard), FRSTMH (London), EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Rosan Lal Graduate Cert. Project Management, Dip. Community Services, Dip. Business Leadership, Cert. IV Training & Assessement Public Health(HavardX) NUTRITIONIST & HEALTH LITERACY PROGRAM CONSULTANT Sarah Burgess-Lal Graduate Cert. Public Health, BSc (Nutrition), BA (Social and Community Studies), Cert. IV Training & Assessment, Level 1 Accreditation Hatha Yoga Teacher |
More about our Founder, Dr. Ram.....
Adjunct Prof, Postgraduate Studies Community Health & Family Medicine (University of Fiji), Telemedicine Fiji (Principal) & Projects Officer Consultancy Specialist Physician Community Medicine, Epidemiologist & Health Management Dr. B. P. Ram is a renowned integrative medical doctor, licensed general practitioner, and researcher, Initiator -Director of Fiji Kidney Dialysis services and Kidney Foundation, Action for Children and the Aged- charitable trusts and Senior lecturer at University of Fiji & Umanand Prasad School of Medicine Head of Community Medicine. He has been a pioneer in Fiji medicine since the late 1970s setting up community medicine programmes & outreach medical outposts, and has published research papers on several of his key integrative health issues. He is the founder and President of Fiji Haemophilia Foundation. Dr. Ram is a public health Specialist, expert in strategic planning, synergistic protocols to address numerous areas of health including, palliative care, immunity, digestion & Thyroid –Liver health, detoxification, diabetes, Renal disease / Chronic Kidney failure, cardiovascular health, infectious disease control and more. His approach integrates modern science with traditional wisdom for optimal health, healing and wellness.He has been team member for the establishment of first Fiji Cardiac Unit / Fiji Births Online registry and Fiji Cancer Registry. Dr Ram is an Active Primary Health Care Advocate and was awarded the 25th Independence Anniversary Medal for Services to Fiji, Fellow of the Fiji College of General Practitioners, Member Fiji Medical Association, he has postgraduate qualifications from, Sydney University,Korea Institute for Population & Health -Seoul and Harvard University |
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