The Moana Community of St Clare and the Diocese of Polynesia have extended their mission of providing a home for children and young people with the newly opened Moana St Clare Boys’ Home.

Moana St Clare Boys’ Home was opened by the Prime Minister of Fiji His Excellency Hon Sitiveni Rabuka, who was joined on the dignitaries bench by Archbishop Sione Silongo Uluilakepa, Archbishop Emeritus Winston Halapua, Belinda Holmes and Rev Sue Halapua.

In his opening speech Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka emphasised the importance of a good home for young men.

“Home is a haven, a safety and security. There are so many young men in our country that need a home. And there are some that live in houses, but not in homes.” 

“I pray that this home will be a real home for these young boys who will grow up to make homes for themselves and their families, as men – as responsible men who will be able to serve not only their family, not only their home, but [hu]mankind.”

Since 1968, St Christopher’s Home has cared for girls and boys up to the age of twelve, and teenage girls up to eighteen. But before now, boys who had grown up at St Christopher’s Home had to leave at the young age of twelve, and move to a Methodist home for teenage boys in Ba – on the opposite side of the island of Viti Levu. 

It was heartbreaking for the boy’s sisters at St Christopher’s Home to see their brothers go, and for the boys too," recalled the late Sr Vutulongo Tu’ineau back in 2021. 

For some St Christopher’s Home girls who had already had a difficult start in life, it was extremely tough to have their brothers taken away - for them it felt like having a death in the family.

Now when the boys reach twelve, instead of being miles away, they’ll move over the back fence to the new Moana St Clare Boys’ Home, where house parents will care for them.

Like the original St Christopher’s Home, the new Moana St Clare Boys’ Home sits within eight acres of maintained gardens and play areas, adjacent to the church of the same name that forms the spiritual and social hub for the local community. 

Built to a high standard of environmental sustainability, the new Moana St Clare Boys’ Home will house up to a dozen teenage boys, plus home staff, and includes purpose built kitchen and dining facilities, living spaces, laundry, bathroom and study and sleeping areas. While the Boys’ Home is fully self-contained, its proximity to the original St Christopher’s Home now makes it easy for the boys to remain connected to both family and community.

Sr Kalolaine Tu’ineau says that while they'll be living apart, the boys will still see their sisters often,

“The children will see each other every day at the 7.30am Holy Communion service in St Christopher’s Church, and will still be together as part of children’s and youth activities here on Sundays.”

The Moana St Clare Boys’ Home project totalled $1 million Fiji dollars by completion, which the Community has gathered over six years thanks to the fundraising efforts of its Board of Governors and Fundraising Committee, comprising: Mrs Renu Chand, Dr Shrish Archarya, Mrs Norma Wise, Mrs Fololeni Curr, Mr Sikeli Wise, Mrs Deepti Weiss, Mrs Eseta Malani, Mrs Bernadette Rounds Ganilau, Sr Longo and Sr Kalolaine. 

Fundraising began in 2017 and the majority of money was raised by families and friends of the St Christopher’s community. Dinners were held in the New Zealand High Commission in Fiji and at the Grand Pacific Hotel, where an auction was also held.

Other contributions came from schools in Australia including Armidale School and St Hilda’s Anglican School for Girls as well as private companies. Sr Kalolaine reports that all gave generously in response to the requests for help and all of their efforts have led to this happy day for the St Christopher's community.

 “This is a dream come true. We give thanks to God that we have been able to complete this task with the assistance of so many in the St Christopher’s community.”

Sister Kalolaine said it was the collective generosity, compassion and skills of so many people that has enabled the sisters to provide a Home for boys to grow up in a safe and loving environment. 

“Help us remember that as many hands build a House, many hearts build a Home.”