The Island holiday that sparked a donation drive for Fiji

What started out with a few bras and knickers turned into 23 kg of donations for remote Fijian villages, thanks to Forté Hospital nurse Katrina Jolly.

“It was just a little idea but the donations kept coming and it got bigger and bigger – it was amazing,” says Katrina, Forté Hospital Gynaecology & General Surgery Team Leader.

Katrina was inspired by Project Uplift, an organisation that distributes recycled bras to women in need in the Pacific Islands.

“In some areas around the Pacific women often go without a bra or family members share a bra regardless of breast size. I thought I could use our family trip to Fiji to try to help the local villages near where we were staying, as a way of giving something back to the community.

“I contacted Project Uplift and they suggested I ask the resort we were staying at to help distribute any private donations I collected. That’s where it all started,” Katrina says.

Katrina put up posters around Forté Hospital asking for donations of underwear from any staff who wanted to get involved. Donations started flooding in.

“The response from the staff at Forté was amazing. I ended up with 23 kg of bras, knickers, mens underwear, sanitary projects, as well as stationary for the village children,” Katrina says.

Distributing the donated goods to families in Sigatoka Village, which is about 61 km from Nadi, was one of the highlights of Katrina’s trip to Fiji.

“It was so humbling to see how people live. We just take it for granted that we can pop out to the shops to get what we need, but in Sigatoka many villagers have to swim across the river just to get a bus to work. There are no easily accessible shops, and definitely nowhere to be fitted for underwear!”

Katrina says it was amazing to see the smiles on the faces of the villagers when they arrived.

“I met amazing people who were so thankful for the items we donated. It was a very special time and I am so thankful to the incredible team at Forté who gave so generously and were so supportive of this project,” Katrina says.

Now back at work, Katrina says her colleagues have been excited to hear about her experience.

“People have been buzzing about the difference we’ve all made. I definitely want to go back to Fiji and when I do, I’ll be organising another donation drive so we can provide even more support to communities there.”