Governance: Board of Directors
ERONI DINA
“A Fiji where we are free to be whatever we Dream to be”
That is the Vision Eroni Dina has for the Fiji Islands and it is the cornerstone of Eroni’s work for a better Fiji for ALL. Eroni, who hails from the Island of Kadavu with maternal links to Lau and Tonga, finds inspiration in carrying on the legacy of her mother who passed away of Breast Cancer, and till her last breath was instrumental in Eroni’s Career.
Eroni is a Quality Analyst and Trainer by profession. Music is a Passion that Eroni pursues (and is well known for) as a career and as a Registered Recording Artist/Songwriter. Eroni was a Music Director and the Head of the Arts and Culture Department with the Pasifika Voices Choir, a choir renowned for recording Disney’s Moana. Eroni was also a Resident Artist of the Oceania Center for Arts, Culture and Pacific Studies at The University of the South Pacific where she was also a Vocal/Performance Coach/Tutor and Freelance Performer and Production Vocalist.
Apart from this, Eroni Dina is an Anti-Bullying Ambassador under the Anti-Bullying movement here in Fiji, a Peer Educator/Youth Activist with MEN-Fiji before transcending to be a Board Director for Rainbow Pride Foundation, a former Executive Member of the National Youth Council of the Fiji Islands, and sits on the Board of HOPEFiji – a talent scouting and management agency.
No stranger to events, Eroni also co-coordinated Adi Senikau in 2011, Entertainment director for Miss World 2012 and the list goes on. Some of Eroni’s most memorable performances have always been around performing with people who have inspired her and for causes that carry empowering messages.
Eroni’s message to young people is that “In Life offer everything until you have nothing else to give, only then you are ready to transcend to your next gifting”, a legacy she tries to leave behind while travelling/touring around the region.
SAIMONE SIMIONE MORUA TUNI
Clinical Counsellor, Family & Group Therapist, Trauma and Grief Therapist, Play Therapist
Saimone is a Counsellor at the University of the South Pacific. He completed his undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications in Psychology at the University of the South Pacific. He later obtained additional postgraduate qualifications in Counselling from Melbourne, Australia.
He has extensive experience working with children and young people from diverse backgrounds. Most of his professional work was spent in schools in Fiji.
In the latter part of his career, Saimone took on a leadership position at the Health Ministry of the Government of Fiji and he worked in collaboration with Non-Government Organizations’ and Civil Society Organizations’ and development partners advocating and educating for justice and fair treatment of all people but most particularly for young people living with a diagnosed mental health disorder. Saimone was part of the technical team that established the Youth Champs 4 Mental Health.
Saimone was also one of the founding members of Rainbow Pride Fiji and was instrumental in defining the path of RPFL’s core functions at the time of MENFiji which was reflected in the name Males Empowerment Network Fiji (MENFiji). He is currently on the Board of Director for RPFL and the Alternate Fiji Member to the Pacific Sexual Gender Diversity Network.
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KALIOVA NADUMU
Kaliova is a Bachelor in Commerce graduate from the University of the South Pacific, and majored in Economics/Finance. He currently works in the Hotel Industry with Marriot Hotels, Fiji, in its Sales and Marketing Division. Kaliova has interest in growing within RPF. But his other interests lie in Creative Writing, especially becoming a Published Novelist. To speak truth and empower people through his artistic and intellectual endeavour
as a writer.
MATELITA VAKARAU
Matelita who believes in Equality for all no matter what simply because we are all human beings and we all deserve the paramount love and unconditionally,
She is the Executive Director for Reproductive &Family Health Association of Fiji (RFHAF) she has worked in the area of Sexual & Reproductive Health and Rights for the past twenty-three years in Fiji and the Pacific region. She has a diploma in Health Inspection and a Post Graduate Diploma on Health Research.
CHRISTOPHER BENJAMIN
Benjamin Christopher but would preferred to be called Chris Lutukivuya, 30 years of age and is a perusing his Bachelor of Arts studies in Social Work and Sociology at the regional University of the South Pacifc. Chris Love volleyball and considers it as his oxygen and deems movies as his portal to the next life
Chris is a Social Worker by profession who is passionate in advocating social issues that are affects and surrounds Fijians. His advocacy work revolves around LGBTIQ, MENTAL HEALTH and HIV&AIDS and has involved himself on countless advocacy work and this includes 24 hours “Silencing Stigma” street campaign organised by Youth Champs for Mental Health to echo the importance of this issue and being the voice of the voiceless.
Chris also previously served at Fiji Network Plus from 2014-2016 and was the first Gay men to have publicly came out with his HIV status in Fiji. His passion and love for volunteerism drove him to devote his time to movements, peaceful rallies and community-based outreach that have the impacted the lives of others who may be going through tough situations. In 2016, he took up the role of the LGBTIQ, HIV and Mental Health officer for the organization and engaged on community base outreach and condomizing identified hotspot in the 3 main division in Fiji. Central/Eastern, Western and Northern Division.
Management: Secretariat Team
ISIKELI VULAVOU
Founder and Executive Director
Mr. Isikeli Vulavou’s extensive experience in governance and public administration and management has helped him immensely in setting up the RPF, Rainbow Pride Foundation. Mr Vulavou is a passionate, committed and a strong advocate for LGBTQI Rights, Health, Wellbeing and Equality in Fiji and the Pacific. He is well versed with the development issues affecting the LGBTQI community in Fiji and the Pacific and represents the community group in various spaces at the national, regional and global levels.
LAVETANALAGI SERU
Project Officer
Lagi, as he is commonly known – has been involved in community projects, campaigns, policy and advocacy for the last 6 years on issues of climate change, disaster risk reduction, and intersecting issues of gender equality and human rights.
Lagi is actively engaged in networks and coalitions – such as he UNFCCC Youth Constituency [known as YOUNGO] & the United Nations Major Group for Children & Youth.. At National Level, he is a recently appointed Board Member of the National Youth Advisory Board, and Advisor to the Commonwealth Youth Council – Pacific Regional Committee.
AMASAI JEKE
Project Support Officer (Human Rights & Social Justice)
Ms. Amasai Jeke is an adamant and very outspoken person who adores and thrives in creating awareness and advocating on human rights, mainly on Transgender rights. She works on LGBTQI Rights and Equality for Rainbow Pride Foundation (RPF) and Coordinates the Transgender Reference Group for RPF.
Ms. Jeke is also a member of the Women’s Major Group for Sustainable Development and Women & Gender Constituency for Climate Change Negotiations with UNFCCC which is the United Nations Major Groups on Women and YOUNGO which is the official youth constituency at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
She is also a Working Group Member for the Peer Support Group on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights and the Pacific Urgent Action Hub on Climate & Ecological Justice that works with LGBTQI people in the Grass-root community.
LASARUSA SERU
Project Support Officer (Health & Wellbeing)
Ms. Lasarusa Seru works on Health & Well-being for the Rainbow Pride Foundation and identifies as a Transgender Woman.
She hails from the beautiful Island of Kadavu and also shares maternal links to Kadavu. She is a devoted Christian and attends Sunday church service where she also takes part in directing their church choir as a way of sensitizing her fellow youth church members to the idea that God loves everyone irrespective of their sexuality gender and expression, and has contributed a lot to her church, changing mindsets and making the congregationaccepts her for who she is.
Ms Seru is also a local artist who believes in raising awareness when she performs and writes songs that reflect strong messages.
TAMANI RARAMA
Monitoring & Communications Support Officer
Tamani is a gender non conforming activist and human rights defender who has been in the movement over the last 5 years.
They (preferred gender pronouns) hails from Nanukuloa, Saivou in Ra and has 3 siblings, one of whom is their twin brother.
Tamani is passionate about many intersecting issues, that includes Sexual & Reproductive Health & Rights, Mental Health, Climate Justice, Freedom, Democracy and Youth Empowerment.
Anywhere near a beautiful beach is where Tamani loves to spend their time to relax and detox from the bustling Suva Life. They are also part of the “Uto ni Yalo” crew and sails from time to time (“in a sustainable fashion”).
SUAKINI BALEISAWANA
Finance Support Officer
Mr. Suakini Baleisawana is passionate about climate change and LGBTQI work.
He was part of the Fiji Youth delegation to the 13th Conference of Youth and 23rd Conference of Parties in Bonn Germany in 2018 and is a member of YOUNGO which is the Youth Constituency under the UNFCCC.
FIELD STAFF
ILISAPECI RAILEQE
Community Engagement Liaison
Ilisapeci Raileqe mobilizes LGBTQI communities and is a proud Bisexual woman and a former Sex Worker. She supports the secretariat staff on the work on HIV 101, SOGIESC and is also a Mental Health Peer Educator.
She oversees all RPF program in the Western Division and is also a registered Fiji Red Cross Volunteer Worker in Disaster Risk Reduction and Humanitarian Response
CHAPTER COORDINATORS
NICHOLE NAITUKU
Central Chapter Leader
Ms Nichole Naituku who is the current reigning Miss Adi Senikau 2018. She is an Activist/Advocate for LGBTQI Human Rights, Climate Justice and Youth Empowerment and she also is the Central Coordinator for Rainbow Pride Foundation.
Ms Naituku believes in Equality for all and empowerment of youth through advocacy. Ms Naituku has a background in Sales and Marketing and has worked for private sector for more than 7 years and she studied her Bachelor Programme in History and Politics from the University of the South Pacific.
STAKEHOLDERS
The RPF works with various partner organisations and allies to carry out its work. It works closely with parliament secretariat and various government ministries which include the Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Ministry of Youth, Ministry of
Education, Ministry of Labour and Industrial Relations, Ministry of Women, Ministry of Itaukei Affairs, and Ministry of Justice to advance its work.
It is a member of many civil society fora in Fiji which include the Rainbow Fiji Coalition, Fiji CSO Collective on HIV and AIDS, Fiji Young Women’s Forum, UPR Review CSO committee and many others.
RPF also sees just as important the work it does with the Faith Based Organisations, Sporting Organisations and other community groups to reduce social discrimination and increase community acceptance and inclusivity.
It also values the engagement it has with the private sector particularly for the promotion of diversity and inclusivity policies in the workplace.
At the regional level, it is affiliated with the Pacific Sexual
Diversity Network, Pacific Urgent Action Hub for Climate Justice, Asia Pacific Transgender Network, Asia Pacific Coalition on Male
Sexual Health, Pacific Regional Youth Think Tank, and the ILGA (International Lesbian and Gay Association) Oceania. At the global level it is a financial member of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) World.
We also value our partnership with the development and donor partners in the Pacific namely the UNAIDS, OHCHR and other UN agencies in the Pacific, the CROP agencies, international NGOs working in the areas of HIV and SRHR, Human Rights and Climate Justice as well as traditional donor partners like the US Embassy, Australian DFAT, NZAID, EU in the Pacific, UK in the Pacific and the French Embassy in Fiji.
RPF BENEFICIARIES
All LGBTQI+ Fijians and allies, sex-workers in diverse communities, government, civil societies, private sector.
RPF DONORS/FUNDERS
AusAID through the Pacific Response Fund had supported the implementation of the first ever Integrated Behavioural and Biological Survey in Fiji, Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations (AFAO) supported the official registration of RPF, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) sup-ported numerous Safe sex promotion event based campaigns of the RPF.
LGBTIQ Rights & Equality, Social Justice, Health & Wellbeing 