ARUKA Fiji
Restoring hope and dignity to Fiji’s most vulnerable — empowering homeless children, sex workers, and the destitute through education, health, and life-changing opportunities.
Our Beginnings
ARUKA Fiji — from the Hebrew word meaning healing and restoration — was founded in 2019 during the COVID-19 pandemic. This challenging time revealed the urgent need for emotional and practical support for vulnerable communities.
Led by Ratu Inoke Drauna, ARUKA began as a social-positive network of counsellors, social workers, and youth development professionals accredited in Australia and New Zealand. Its first mission was to provide psychological and psycho-social care to grieving widows, and advocacy and support to abandoned teens, including street children and teenage sex workers. From these beginnings, ARUKA has grown into a movement dedicated to safety, security, health, education, and sustainable livelihoods for Fiji’s most marginalized.
Meet our Founder
Ratu Inoke Drauna is a passionate advocate for social justice who believes no one is beyond hope. Guided by empathy and resilience, he leads ARUKA Fiji with the vision of turning hardship into opportunity through education, skills, and compassionate care.
A counsellor and social worker who suffered from Anxiety, Depression and suicidal thoughts after loosing 2 of his friends to suicide. He was envisioned to work with needy widows and abandoned teens as in street kids and teen sex workers.
What we Stand for
Our Vision
To empower and support homeless children, sex workers, and the destitute affected by poverty, abuse, and violence.
Our Mission
To restore hope to the homeless children, sex workers and the destitute that have been affected by poverty, abuse and violence.
Our Values & Ethos
COMPASSION
meeting people where they are, without judgment
EMPOWERMENT
enabling individuals to take control
of their future
INTEGRITY
acting with transparency and accountability in all we do
RESPECT
valuing the dignity, culture,
and voice of every person
COLLABORATION
working alongside communities and partners to achieve lasting impact
Our Objectives
-
To organise resources and establish educational opportunities for vulnerable children, teenagers and the disadvantaged.
-
To arrange a home for homeless children and make sure they are safe, healthy and are free from violence.
-
To provide counselling services targeted at restoring families and marriage disputes.
-
To promote employment opportunities and train children, teenagers and widows on health and social issues and pastoral training.
-
To support community-led programs that prohibit discrimination in society.
-
To organise volunteer programs that may benefit teenagers.
-
Be a rights defender for all marginalised people in society.
-
Creating income-generating programs that benefit the grassroots communities
-
Be a secretariat for regional peace works through social positive and youth dialogue
-
Strengthen networking and collaboration of Stakeholders
-
Being the voice for the less fortunate members of society