Transcend Oceania

From Pain to Peace: A Journey of Healing and Learning at St Vincent College

Building on the success of last year’s pilot Trauma Awareness and Healing Program at Suva Grammar School, Transcend Oceania initiated the second phase of this school-based trauma intervention program with St Vincent College. This marks another historic breakthrough — the first structured trauma awareness and healing initiative integrated within a secondary school system in Fiji.

The program responds to growing evidence that students experience multiple forms of trauma — including exposure to domestic violence, loss, peer pressure, bullying, family instability, and community violence — all of which directly impact their academic performance, emotional wellbeing, and relationships.

Through the generous support of Women’s Fund Fiji, this initiative continues Transcend Oceania’s commitment to nurturing trauma-informed communities and building pathways to resilience and peace among young people in Fiji.

The two-day workshop was designed to:
1. Increase students’ awareness and understanding of trauma and its effects.
2. Equip them with practical tools for self-regulation, peer support, and emotional healing.
3. Foster a supportive school culture grounded in empathy, safety, and care.
4. Strengthen collaboration between teachers, counsellors, and students in identifying and addressing trauma experiences.

A total of 20 students participated in the program, alongside selected teachers, counsellors, and student leaders. The diversity of participants reflected the school’s inclusive approach to addressing psychosocial wellbeing as part of holistic education.
The sessions combined experiential learning, storytelling, reflection, and creative expression rooted in Pacific relational and cultural frameworks.
Key sessions included:
• Understanding Trauma: Introducing the concept of trauma, its causes, and its impact on the brain, emotions, and relationships.
• The Ripple Effect of Unhealed Pain: Exploring how trauma can lead to acting-in (withdrawal, depression) and acting-out (anger, violence) behaviours.
• Healing Pathways: Identifying coping mechanisms and collective healing practices, including mindfulness, journaling, storytelling, and peer circles.
• Community of Care: Building safe spaces within schools, emphasizing empathy, listening, and non-violent communication.

Students expressed deep gratitude for the safe space provided to share their stories and emotions, many acknowledging it was their first time to reflect openly on painful experiences.
Key outcomes observed:
• Improved emotional expression and peer empathy.
• Increased understanding among teachers of the psychosocial realities affecting learning.
• Strengthened student leadership around emotional wellbeing and peer support.
• Renewed commitment by the school administration to integrate trauma awareness into school activities and counselling systems.

Teachers also requested follow-up sessions and capacity-building to sustain trauma-informed practices in classrooms.

Challenges and Learnings
• Limited time for deeper group processes indicated the need for extended or follow-up sessions.
• The high demand for one-on-one support highlights the urgency of embedding school-based counselling and psychosocial resources.
• Ongoing collaboration between Transcend Oceania, Women’s Fund Fiji, and the Ministry of Education will be essential to scale and sustain the initiative.
Next Steps
1. Conduct a follow-up session for teacher mentors and peer leaders.
2. Develop a Student Trauma Awareness Toolkit for classroom use.
3. Document testimonies and stories of change for future advocacy and donor reporting.
4. Explore expansion to additional schools in 2026 in partnership with Women’s Fund Fiji and education stakeholders.

The St Vincent College program affirms that trauma awareness and healing are essential components of holistic education. By addressing the unseen emotional wounds carried by students, we pave the way for better learning outcomes, healthier relationships, and safer communities.

Transcend Oceania remains grateful to Women’s Fund Fiji for their continued support in advancing trauma-informed education and empowering young people to heal, grow, and lead with peace.

When Trauma Finds Voice: Reflections, Healing, and Truth in Suva’s Informal Settlements”

Trauma leaves deep imprints on the brain, altering the way people think, feel, and respond to everyday life. It can trap individuals in cycles of fear, pain, and reactive behaviors that affect both their own wellbeing and their relationships with others. Healing, however, has the power to rework this pattern—restoring hope, building resilience, and creating space for compassion. When communities become trauma informed, they begin to recognize these hidden wounds and find healthier, more life-giving ways to respond. Healing becomes not only personal but also collective, spreading from individuals to families, and from families to communities.

The second day of training ended with powerful reflections, role plays, poems, and action plans developed by the 22 women participants from Jittu and Veiquwawa.
• Eta S shared:
“Through the reflections we shared, we are now trauma informed. This means we carry with us a deeper understanding of why people act the way they do, why certain reactions come out of pain, and why compassion must always be at the center of our responses.”
• Role plays highlighted how trauma is deeply connected to violence.
Mrs. Bechu shared sobering real-life examples: a mother Acting In by turning her pain inward through su***de, and Acting Out by abusing her child. Both reflected the devastating ways trauma manifests, reminding us of why awareness is vital—too many women and children continue to suffer from cycles of violence.

We were honored to welcome representatives from the Fiji Truth and Reconciliation Commission (FTRC). They drew connections between personal and political trauma, inviting participants to see how the unhealed pain of Fiji’s past coups continues to shape lives today.
• Elizabeth Krishna, TRC representative, reminded participants:
“Only by identifying it, recognizing it, and accepting that this has happened for me, that allows us to be able to move forward and be able to heal from Trauma.”

The TRC encouraged participants to share their own stories, affirming that healing at a community level is possible when truth is acknowledged and embraced.

The day concluded with words of hope from Eta:
“The session has planted seeds of healing. Healing that begins in each of us, spreads to our families and radiates out into our communities. This is our hope in moving forward.”

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Women’s Fund Fiji for making this transformative program possible.

“Healing is not just about mending brokenness—it is about restoring dignity, reclaiming hope, and building communities where peace can grow.