It’s business as usual at the Chevalier Training Centre in Wainadoi, Fiji, where staff and students work to give up to 75 young men from difficult or disadvantaged backgrounds the best possible prospects for the future. Established by the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart in 1992, the team at the CTC have since been working together to give underprivileged young men an opportunity to learn new and useful skills in the hope of building a better, more sustainable life for themselves and for their families and communities.
The end of 2024 marked the end of the academic year, when the community at the Centre bid farewell to their second-year students. Fr Mendhy Iva led a special Mass to mark the occasion, highlighting the importance of working together as a community. In a post on the Facebook page for the Chevalier Training Centre, the team there said, “We acknowledge that we wouldn’t have come this far without the gift of one another and the strength of living a shared life.”
A new year then began for the CTC team early in 2025, as new students were welcomed in a “wonderful and meaningful start to the new academic year”. Director of the CTC, Fr Lotu, was joined by Deacon Richard for a special celebratory Mass, followed by games, a barbecue, and plenty of fun! It was a “great way to spiritually align and set a positive tone for the year,” posted the Facebook page for the Chevalier Training Centre, allowing the community to “reconnect and strengthen the bonds within the Chevalier Family.”
A generous donation of new tools to the Cabinet Making Trade programme was a huge boost to the CTC team in February, with a Facebook post marking their joy and gratitude.
“What a wonderful and impactful moment for the Cabinet Making Trade program! The donation of modern tools is sure to have a lasting effect on both the students’ education and their future career prospects.
Mr. Lucas’s generosity is truly inspiring, and it’s amazing to see how it will directly contribute to improving the learning environment and equipping students with the skills needed for the industry.
We are forever grateful for the generosity towards the lives of the students under our care who are willing to gain a life skill and better their lives for themselves and their communities.”
As always, we thank our mission friends here in the Irish Province for their friendship towards our brothers in Wainadoi, and we wish the Chevalier Training Centre community continued success in their work, study, and play throughout 2025.
All images via the Facebook page for the Chevalier Training Centre, Wainadoi