Vika Vataniyaragi Tadu Varuru, a 25-year-old dietitian at the Labasa Health Centre, is competing to win the Miss Vodafone Festival of the Friendly North crown, with the goal of positively impacting her community and promoting food security in Fiji for sustainable living.
Sponsored by the Northern Civil Service, she is one of nine contestants participating in this week’s festival at Subrail Park in Labasa. Vika hails from Nasinu Village, Navatu, Cakaudrove, and has maternal ties to Yavea, Vanuabalavu, Lau.
“As a dietitian, I’ve been visiting schools and communities to conduct health awareness talks, but addressing thousands from the stage will be a new experience for me,” said Miss Varuru. She aspires to heighten awareness about food security and make a meaningful difference in local communities.
“I chose this topic because many people in Fiji, especially in the North, face food insecurity. Access to safe, nutritious, and sufficient food is limited due to various financial circumstances, resource availability, market price fluctuations, and the impacts of climate change on agriculture. Additionally, there is a heavy reliance on imported foods, which leads people to prioritize quantity over quality,” she explained.
“To achieve food security, we must engage in sustainable agricultural practices, beginning with backyard gardens at home, growing our own food, and selecting locally sourced produce,” she added.
Vika has a twin sister and a younger brother. Her mother is a teacher at Wairiki Kindergarten in Labasa, while her father is employed by the Water Authority of Fiji.