Students write essays about the devastation caused by TC Winston

"2016! Fiji's appointment with mud and slush."

This was a student's description of 2016 in their essay that was entered into this year’s Essay writing competition offered by the NZ High Commission.

While addressing the students of the winning essays at today's prize giving reception, Adjudicator of this years' competition, Dr. Satendra Singh stressed on how over 350 students wrote heartwarming essays about a visitor that we could all have done without, Winston.

He says students alluded to the cause and effect including, climate change, detailing it as something many regarded as an un-natural disaster rather than what history shows as nature in turmoil.

Singh says that students showed personal accounts of hope and hopelessness, loss and gain, despair and repair.

Two students, among three hundred, who described their personal tribulations when tropical cyclone Winston devastated many parts of their schools and districts, took supreme awards.

Cema Malumalumu, currently attending Lautoka Muslim College was a student at Koro Island when the TC Winston struck her island.

Ratu Manoa Rokotavaga, impressed the judges with his account of what transpired at Queen Victoria School as students struggled to keep safe.

Rokotavaga says he based his essay on the shared experiences he heard from the head boy of QVS.

Both won a laptop with data, trophies and plaques for both their respective schools - Jai Narayan College and Lautoka Muslim College/Koro Island High School. Over 4,500 essays were entered into the essay writing competition.

The NZ High Commission is into its 8th consecutive year of offering the writing project.