The Swire Shipping Fijian Drua has established the Drua Foundation, a charitable organization focused on enhancing rugby development, health, education, and social impact initiatives throughout Fiji. This significant launch event took place at Tanoa Plaza in Suva, underscoring the club’s dedication to uplifting the community.
The foundation is built on three main pillars: rugby development, health, and education. One of its key programs is the Drua Academy, which is dedicated to nurturing young rugby talent by providing high-performance training pathways while allowing players to remain in Fiji. Currently, the academy hosts 30 players in the under-16 category and plans to broaden its reach to include U17 and U18 players as well as a girls’ team in the near future.
Mark Evans, the chief executive of Fijian Drua and a trustee of the foundation, emphasized the club’s commitment to making a positive impact beyond rugby. “The Drua Foundation serves as a platform for our club, sponsors, partners, and supporters to contribute to sustainable and meaningful programs that benefit the Fijian community,” Evans stated.
In addition to rugby, the foundation will implement various health and education programs, with Drua players acting as ambassadors to promote fitness, healthy lifestyles, and mental well-being in schools and localities. A recent initiative, the Anchor Kids Club, launched in 2024, has already engaged over 800 children and is poised for further expansion.
Moreover, the foundation’s social outreach efforts will target rural and remote communities, creating opportunities for children to participate in sports. The foundation operates under the guidance of a board of trustees that includes Evans, James Sowane, Mosese Naivalu, and Naomi Vuibureta, with Olympic gold medal-winning Fiji 7s coach Ben Ryan offering his expertise.
“We aspire to demonstrate that Fijians can achieve success within Fiji, supported by Fijians,” Evans noted. “Our goals are ambitious; we aim to bolster the national team, support the sport of rugby across the country, and ultimately make our nation proud.”
The Drua Foundation welcomes donations and partnerships to further its impactful initiatives and foster the growth of rugby and community welfare in Fiji, highlighting the club’s commitment to ongoing social responsibility.
This initiative represents a hopeful step towards fostering future sporting excellence in Fiji while positively transforming communities, illustrating a model for how sports organizations can contribute to societal well-being.
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