The Yellow Ribbon Walk — locally known as Aubale Ni Yalo Re — was held in Bua yesterday, bringing a week-long Fiji Corrections Service (FCS) campaign in the Northern Division to a close with a visible show of community support for rehabilitation and reintegration. The event, staged at Raralevu in Nabouwalu, drew villagers and staff from across the region who marched through the township wearing yellow and bearing messages of hope, forgiveness and acceptance.
FCS provided 10 buses to transport participants from Labasa to the Raralevu venue, enabling wide participation from communities that might otherwise have been unable to attend. Organisers said the turnout reflected strong local backing for the Yellow Ribbon initiative, which seeks to promote second chances for former inmates and encourage community acceptance as part of broader rehabilitation efforts.
Participants were seen carrying placards and banners carrying themes of reconciliation and reintegration as they processed through the town. The walk concluded the Northern Division’s series of activities under the FCS campaign, which over the past week aimed to raise awareness about rehabilitation programmes and the role communities play in supporting ex-offenders’ return to civilian life.
Community leaders and corrections staff joined villagers on the march, underscoring the collaborative nature of the campaign. The visible participation of families and local residents signalled an emphasis on collective responsibility — an approach the FCS has presented in recent outreach drives designed to reduce stigma and open pathways for former inmates to rebuild their lives.
The Yellow Ribbon Walk follows similar awareness efforts elsewhere in Fiji, where public events are used to highlight rehabilitation services, training opportunities and support mechanisms available to people leaving custody. By focusing this week-long campaign in the Northern Division and convening the culminating march in Bua, FCS officials sought to centre the conversation in communities that will play a key role in local reintegration outcomes.
Organisers described the event as both a celebration of progress and a reminder of ongoing challenges in supporting former inmates back into society. With the campaign concluded in Bua, attention will now turn to how communities and correctional services translate the goodwill from yesterday’s march into sustained support for rehabilitation programs and local reintegration initiatives.
Leave a comment