Vika Vataniyaragi Tadu Varuru, a 25-year-old contestant, is determined to capture the Miss Vodafone Festival of the Friendly North title in hopes of positively impacting her community by promoting food security in Fiji for a sustainable livelihood. Sponsored by Northern Civil Service, the dietitian from the Labasa Health Centre is one of nine queens competing at the festival taking place at Subrail Park in Labasa this week.
Hailing from Nasinu Village in Navatu, Cakaudrove, with maternal ties to Yavea, Vanuabalavu, Lau, Varuru expressed her enthusiasm for the opportunity. “As a dietitian, I’ve been visiting schools and communities conducting awareness and health talks, but speaking to thousands of people on that stage will be a new experience for me,” she remarked.
She is passionate about raising awareness on food security in Fiji, especially since many people, particularly in the North, face food insecurity. “We lack access to safe, nutritious, and sufficient food due to various financial backgrounds, the unavailability of resources, market price fluctuations, climate change impacts on agriculture, and a heavy reliance on imported foods, which leads people to choose quantity over quality,” she explained.
Varuru advocates for sustainable agriculture, encouraging practices starting at home, such as creating backyard gardens and opting for locally produced food. She has a twin sister and a younger brother. Her mother teaches at Wairiki Kindergarten in Labasa, while her father works for the Water Authority of Fiji.