Kadavu, once associated with marijuana farming and drug-related issues, has undergone transformation since the Vueti-Kadavu Youth Festival. Held less than two years ago, the festival shifted the island’s attention to sports, youth initiatives, and lawful farming practices.
Sharing the progress in Parliament today, Minister for Youth and Sports Jese Saukuru said Kadavu was a prime example of success derived from investing in youth and initiatives that is geared to support them.
Saukuru said one of the biggest achievements was the revival of the Kadavu Rugby Union, which had been inactive for years.
“The reactivation and launch of the Kadavu Rugby Union breathed new life into the island’s sporting landscape. Many had lost hope that Kadavu rugby would ever return to its former glory.”
Since then, Kadavu Rugby has made strong progress with the Kadavu Women’s Rugby Team winning the Royal Ranadi Cup one year after the festival and just this year Kadavu won the Vodafone Vanua Championship and earned promotion to the Skipper Cup competition for 2026.
“These victories are not just sporting achievements,” Saukuru said. “They show how youth programs can lead to real results — not just in sport, but in community pride and national recognition.”
Saukuru added that the festival also helped revive the Kadavu Youth Council, giving youth clubs a platform for leadership and teamwork and encouraged young people to move away from illegal marijuana farming and toward legal crops like kava and taro.
“The festival changed behaviour, reshaped attitudes, and restored dignity in communities. What we witnessed in Kadavu — from the rebirth of a rugby union to a championship title — is a clear reflection of what can be achieved when rural and maritime youths are empowered through sports, skills, and community leadership,” Saukuru said.
