THE Fiji Amateur Boxing Association is calling on all its supporters to come forward and contribute towards a fundraising drive to help the Fiji team to next week's Oceania Boxing Championships.
The six-member Fiji team will leave for Australia on Tuesday.
Boxing Fiji secretary Paula Raqeukai said they were organising the soli on Monday to raise the extra funds needed to see the team through its stay in Australia.
The five-day Oceania Championships will be held in Canberra from August 5-8.
Raqeukai said the team needed extra funds to be well looked after in Canberra.
"This is a very humble request on behalf of Fiji Amateur Boxing Association to you all to come and donate to assist the national amateur boxing team," Raqeukai said.
"The team has prepared well for the last seven weeks under the watchful eyes of national coaches Pauliasi Ratu and Marika Yalimaiwai and manager Allen Versonia."
Raqeukai said they would like to thank those who had already donated ensuring they made the trip.
"The team's air travel expenses has been met by the Government of Fiji via the Ministry of Youths and Sports while FASANOC has given timely help for local travelling expenses and visa applications.
"We would also like to thank Vodafone Fiji who have been kind enough to sponsor the team's uniform (both competition and team uniform)," Raqeukai said.
He said their target was to raise $15,800 to fully fund the trip.
"All the sponsorship we received was up to a total of $12,872 so we still need $3000 which we hope collect from the fundraising drive on Monday."
Voicing his thanks assistant coach Yalimaiwai said: "I would also like to thank the other donors like FASANOC, Vodafone Fiji and also to Fiji Sports Council for allowing the team to use all training facilities in Laucala."
Raqeukai said the fundraising drive would be held at the FASANOC conference room on Monday from 5.30-6.30pm.
For further information contact Usaia Mateyawa (assistant secretary) on 9700059 or Paula Raqeukai on 9068581.
The team is: Sachin Mudaliar 48kg (17 yrs old, a Form Seven student of Nadi College); Mohammed Shahmeem 56kg ( a sugar cane farmer from Nadi AIBA world rated in the 56kg); Manasa Mateyawa 60kg (unemployed youth from Nasaqalau, Lakeba, Lau living with his parents in Suva; Tevita Rauluni Junior 64kg (NSW-based boxer and State Champion 2009, training with the Fiji team); Meli Vutevute 69kg (a young farmer from the hills of Navosa and son of former Fiji great welterweight champion in 1960s, Meli Vutevute; Ratu Savenaca Naliva 81kg also a young sugar cane farmer from Ba and son of the late former Fiji heavyweight champion, Filimone Naliva.