Solomoni Biumaiono (Saturday, April 07, 2012)
Pedalling for mammals … Howard Foster, helping to conserve whales and dolphins with his bicycle. Picture: Supplied
Last year he cycled 4800 kilometres from London to Morocco, crossing the European and African continents in an endurance event just to raise funds for environmental conservation in Fiji.
And again, he is planning to cycle around Viti Levu later in the year to raise awareness and funds for the conservation of dolphins and whales in the country.
Meet Howard Foster, an Englishman who has fallen in love with Fiji and its people and is doing his utmost best to help the communities that he has come to know.
“I find working with Fijian communities an inspiring experience. Yes, I understand that science has a role to play but getting to know the traditional knowledge and how environmentally friendly it has been.
Howard’s first Fijian words are babale and Dakuwaqa, which is the two things that he has close to his heart. Babale is the Fijian word for dolphin while Dakuwaqa is the iTaukei’s mythical shark god.
“It has been a humbling experience for me and every time I go out to the communities, I learn something new. The sense of community is Fiji is just different and I enjoy working here. So I want to help the communities through community projects,” Howard says.
First coming to Fiji in 2006, Howard made up his mind to work closely with the communities here and in 2009 he established South Pacific Projects, an organisation which specialises in marine conservation projects.
“I came here in 2006 and I am a qualified diver too. After a dive, I was just struck by the marine life here in Fiji and decided to do something to help conserve it, even though it took me a few years to finally get the project running,” Howard says.
Under the patronage of the Sealife London Aquarium, Howard’s South Pacific Projects have managed to fund the dolphins and whale conservation efforts in Dawasamu and shark conservation in the Yasawas.
Before coming to Fiji, Howard has previously worked in other countries like Peru, Morocco, China and Nepal.
Even though he is a qualified political scientist, Howard has no time to be stuck in an office and instead opted for a life of adventure and helping the communities that he become a part of.
“I like to work with people. I like to challenge myself to work in an environment where we improve things,” Howard says.
He started off in tourism and eventually ecotourism before becoming a windsurfing instructor, a mountain guide before becoming a supporter of marine life conservation.
As a mountain guide he has been to the Himalayas, Mount Kilmanjaro in Tanzania and the Andes in South America.
“I suppose I’ve always liked the outdoors and physical activities. I grew up in the English countryside doing outdoor activities and that was way before computer games. And I just prefer being outdoor than in the city,” Howard says.
And now he is organising the Whale of A Ride Fiji, which is a cycle ride around Viti Levu which is aimed at raising funds for the conservation of whales and dolphins in Fiji.
He is hoping to attract at least 15 riders and corporate sponsors that will support the cause of conserving the habitat for dolphins and whales here in Fiji.
Howard has planned the ride to happen in June which will take seven days around Viti Levu where the riders will make several stopovers along the way to raise awareness of dolphins and whales.
He has teamed up with Miss South Pacific Alisi Rabukawaqa, also a marine conservation enthusiast and marine science student at the University of the South Pacific to help organise the ride.
Along with Rabukawaqa’s Honour Fiji Journey project, Howard hopes to raise funds and awareness about the need to support the conservation of our marine environment from further degradation.
This is Howard at his best, helping communities raise awareness about their environment and physical surrounding.
