FCOSS welcomes first woman executive director

Vani Catanasiga with her PIANGO colleagues before she joined the Fiji Council of Social Services as the first woman executive director. Picture: SUPPLIED

By WANSOLWARA STAFF

FORMER Wansolwara journalist Vani Catanasiga has become the first woman executive director for the Fiji Council of Social Services, an esteemed recognition she is still trying to grasp.

But immediately after she was informed of this appointment, she thought of just how blessed she was to have been given the full confidence of the FCOSS board as well as the outgoing executive director, Neil Maharaj, to take on this role.

The winning students with their certificates. From left: Nanise Nawalowalo, Vani Catanasiga and Riteshni Singh. Picture: WANSOLWARA FILE

Catanasiga was a former student of The University of the South Pacific’s Journalism Programme and received the Ossie Awards high commendation for a print publication on governance and finance at the University.

The Journalism Education Association (JEA) Ossie Awards is widely regarded as the “Walkley Awards” of student journalism in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific.

“I think my media experience really played a key role in how my career and life has panned out,” said Vani, who worked previously as a journalist for the Daily Post and The Fiji Times.

“When you work with human beings, the most important aspect of that interaction is communication. When one has been trained in communications and as well as on the job – in one of the most successful and busiest newsrooms in the Pacific by seasoned and respect scribes, one of the key things they teach you is how to listen so you can articulate the stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things everyday as best as you can.

“That’s a skill I have used in all of my work so far and has proven to be one of the most effective advice anyone has ever given me.”

She attributed her passion for the job and successes in life to her family, particularly her parents.

Before taking up the executive director post with FCOSS, Catanasiga was the programme officer for the Pacific Islands Association of NGO. She was also the project officer for Pacific Centre for Peacebuilding, research and communications officer for Dialogue Fiji and youth officer with the Ministry of Youth and Sports.

She served as the Bua Urban Youth Network’s volunteer co-ordinator from 2007 to 2017 and looked after the National Council of Women Fiji’s national youth advisory board’s transition into becoming the National Youth Council Fiji.

“FCOSS actually has a strategic plan and my job is to deliver on that. In the short-term, my plan is to look for development partners who can support and collaborate with FCOSS deliver sustainable solutions to communities and ensure that their voices and that of civil society organisations in Fiji are heard and acted upon,” she said.

Her advice to aspiring journalists is serve without any expectations of rewards or recognitions.

“Humility will take you to places you didn’t dream of. Use your time and talents to serve communities who don’t have a voice, persevere and trust God to deliver at His time. Change takes time so be consistent and stay committed,” she said with finality.