Hailing from the beautiful island of Yasawa-i-Ra in the northern part of the Yasawas, 40-year-old Meli Rokobuli works as a staff member of Malolo Island Resort.
Rokobuli always had a passion for tourism because he was exposed to it growing up on the island.
However, because of his uncle’s desire to have someone follow in his footsteps, he was pushed into studying food tech at the Fiji Institute of Technology.
While this deterred him from pursuing his dream, it did not stop him and he eventually decided to follow what he knew in his heart he wanted to do.
“Deep in my heart I know the type of person I am — entertaining, crazy and funny,” Rokobuli said.
“That’s why I chose to go into tourism.”
Rokobuli has been bringing smiles to the faces of tourists who’ve visited Malolo Island Resort since 2015 with various responsibilities, one of them being the Kid’s Club where he carries out programs that teach about Fiji’s culture and raises environmental awareness.
He is also in charge of showcasing the wildlife on Malolo, including Fiji’s crested iguana, which is found in a nursery on the island.
He enjoys teaching children about coral and mangrove planting and their importance.
As a member of the Liku Ahura environment team, Rokobuli is also responsible for looking after the coral reefs around the island.
Rokobuli often works for 11 days before he returns to be with his family for three days.
While this is sometimes tough on the family, it has also motivated him to work hard because it will help provide a good life for them. Like all workers who suffered under the pandemic and its consequent lockdowns, Rokobuli also felt the crunch.
“I never thought there would come a time when Fiji would be brought to a standstill, when they would shut the borders and tell us to pack our bags and go home.”
Covid-19 was a struggle because after he returned to his family in Lautoka, he was told he would not be able to return to the island.
However, as time passed, he and his family received help from family, friends and even the resort, which helped them keep their heads above water.
Rokobuli also began to apply for work again, which is when he received an offer from the Mamanuca Environment Society, an NGO focused on the protection and betterment of the environment within the Mamanuca region.
The NGO works in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organisation, United Nations Development Program, the US Embassy and even Agriculture Fiji.
Rokobuli said one of its projects was waste management, which involves teaching villages how to separate rubbish and dispose of it properly.
“This not only contributes to the cleanliness of the environment, but also ensures crops can grow without being disrupted by rubbish.”
Rokobuli continued working for about a year and a half before returning to Malolo Island to continue his work in the tourism industry.
His experience with Covid-19 and his fear of not returning to work not only made him realise God’s work in his life to make the impossible possible, but it also made him appreciate his love for his work and the staff members and community of Malolo.
With a changed mindset, he has become more passionate for his field of work and has realised his genuine love for creating big bula smiles. He now works not only with just what he knows, but also from his heart.
“In the hotel industry, you not only work here to earn money. The main thing is happiness, you find happiness in making other people happy.
“You know that beautiful bula smile can only be found here in Fiji!
“Many years back, they said we were forced to smile, but I don’t believe that, here we smile from our heart.”
