He made his comments when he recently toured the Marist Tutu Rural Training Centre in Tutu, Taveuni to look at the various educational opportunities it offered.

During his tour, Dr Lal was briefed by the school principal Father Michael McVerry on the training provided and pleased by the progress and the work displayed by the current students at the institution.

"The institution provides alternatives for those that cannot make it into tertiary institutions where formal education is offered. It is indeed an enriching course as it creates the character from within that will last a lifetime. It is pleasing to note the many students that have graduated from this institution and are making a name for themselves in their villages and have been successful in their career," Dr Lal said.

"The Marist Tutu Rural Training Centre is a model of non formal education here in Fiji. The institution puts people at the centre of its programmes for young women, young farmers and married couples. The Tutu model combines the "formation/finding/development of the inner person",

The Tutu Rural Training Centre (Tutu) was established by the Society of Mary on Taveuni in 1969. The mission statement of the Centre is to provide a place/presence in which the people of Cakaudrove are empowered to become more autonomous and take charge of their lives in a rapidly changing world.

The Centre offers programs to prepare community members for rural self-employment.

The courses now offered are the Young Farmers, Married Couples and Young Women's Course.

Source

• The Fijian Government
• Caritas Australia
• Image: Fiji Government

"Participants are learning methods of preserving food while still retaining all its nutrient levels in its preserved state," said Indonesian Ambassador Chandra Salim. "Food that can be preserved for one to two days like pawpaw can be turned into a jam puree so that it can last for months and several other means of food preservation which the participants are learning.

The course is jointly organised by the Koronivia Research Station and the Indonesian Embassy.

Salim said the course objective was to teach participants Indonesian food preservation techniques and how food could be used as a form of healing therapy.

Source

• The Fiji Times
• Image: Whole Living Web