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One of the coolest things about staying at Wayaleilei resort is that it's the ONLY resort in Fiji that's completely owned and operated by Fijians. Sad but true. The rest are owned by multinational corporations and other foreign investors.
Because it's wholly Fijian, Wayaleilei gives as much back to the villagers as it possibly can. Every day there are activities - hiking, weaving, snorkling, etc. and all the fees go directly to whoever's leading the activity. The resort doesn't take any cut at all.
Therefore, most of the villagers are reliant on the resort to pay their children's tuition. The average child needs around $500 Fijian dollars each term to attend school, and there are three terms per year. That's a lot of money.
So it was a pleasure to pay for hikes and such. One day I went for a walk with my friend Nepote and he took me to his village. This is him with his youngest Granddaughter.