Mataqali Ulivi, one of seven mataqalis from the two Yavusas of Kalabu Village, had long shared dreams of using their resources to uplift their people and build generational wealth for the years ahead.
Located along Wainibuku Road in Nakasi, Nausori, the Delaidogo community found itself surrounded by rapid development. At the junction of Wainibuku Road stands the Rups Complex, one of Fiji’s busiest shopping centers, while a short drive away, new developments continued to rise: the Tebara Shopping Complex, the Carpenters Shopping Complex, the RB Patel Supermarket, the GMR Shopping Complex and recently, the CJS Shopping Complex.
Everywhere they looked, progress was taking shape. Yet, despite being at the heart of this growth and sitting on prime real estate, the Delaidogo community had been unable to kickstart any major development of their own.
Around June 2024, the Merchant Finance team visited their mataqali as part of a wider outreach to landowning communities in the greater Suva area. The purpose of the visit was to introduce and enlist the support of the landowners for the soon-to-be-established Vanua Finance service.
That same day, Ilikana Lalagavesi of Mataqali Ulivi, received a call from his uncle, the Turaga ni Mataqali, urging him to attend the outreach. A single phone call sparked a series of events that transformed Delaidogo in just one year. Today, when you go to Delaidogo, you can see the signs of change.
Firstly, a steady stream of trucks can be seen carting soapstone from extraction sites in Delaidogo. The material is being used to fill the swamp lands of the Emerald Bay City project in Nadawa, which is also financed by Merchant Finance. These two active extraction sites within Delaidogo have already reshaped the once quiet cul-de-sac of Wainibuku Road.
Secondly, the Mataqali is currently working with the iTaukei Land Trust Board (TLTB) to secure an additional extraction license for a much larger site. For now, subcontractors manage the extraction and transportation work, but plans are already in motion for the mataqali to acquire their own trucks, enabling them to fully manage their operations and supply directly to Nadawa.
Across the road, another sign of progress has emerged, a newly established taxi base opposite the Delaidogo Methodist Church. A taxi base that will provide steady employment and income for the members of Mataqali Ulivi and the wider Delaidogo community.
Adding to the momentum, the Fijian Government has also started working on a bypass road from Wainibuku Road to Princess Road, which is expected to open more transport and business opportunities for the area.
Perhaps a most notable achievement of their progress is when the mataqali completed an 8-lot land subdivision financed by Merchant Finance. This initial subdivision project is run by Ilikana on behalf of, and for the benefit of, the women of Mataqali Ulivi. The proceeds from this project have been reinvested where $40,000 was used to open a Fijian Holdings Unit Trust (FHUT) account, establishing a growing investment fund. The lots are also being used as collateral to access funding for a much larger 84-lot subdivision, signalling the start of a new chapter of economic empowerment for Delaidogo.
“Kena i vakabibi tiko ga na kena vakamareqeti na noda i yau. E tiko ga na bibi ni ka qo, ni o vakamareqeta, o na qai kila kina na kena vinaka vei iko. Na cakacaka e sa vakayacori tiko oqo ena Merchant Finance, e vaka me sa vakaduria kina na nodratou tadra na neitou qase mai na gauna i liu, na tadra me duri kina na neitou bisinisi me vakatorocaketake na neitou mataqaili. Sa sautu na Mataqali ko Ulivi”, Ilikana recalls.
English translation – “There is importance in treasuring what we possess. When you value and take good care of something, you will then come to understand its true worth. The work being carried out today by Merchant Finance feels like it is bringing to life the dreams of my elders, their dreams of establishing our own business and moving our mataqali forward to flourish”.
For Mataqali Ulivi, this journey is about creating a sustainable future, not just financial success. Their long-term vision includes building apartment complexes, using land as collateral for future ventures, and generating multiple income streams that will benefit the mataqali for generations.
