Date: 08 Jan 2026
Driving Community Change Through Leadership and Service
Growing up in Tavuki, Taveuni, Maria Colati learned early what service meant. Walking alongside her mother to visit families and offer help, she absorbed values of compassion, humility, and responsibility from seeing care in action. Today, living in Waikerekere, Lami, she carries that same spirit forward as Waikerekere Community Leader and President of Lami District Council of Social Services (DCOSS), serving with heart, respect, and a grounded sense of duty.
Maria was encouraged into this leadership role by her community long before she had formal skills or experience; like many women, she learned on the job. She knew expectations were high, and she was a little daunted, but she wanted to honour the trust placed in her. With quiet courage, she chose to grow into the role, to build her confidence, and to learn step by step.
Through her community volunteer work, Maria was encouraged in 2023 to join the Women’s Leadership Pipeline, a joint Fiji Council of Social Services (FCOSS) and Balance of Power initiative – an opportunity she describes as a blessing that opened her eyes to what women are capable of when given the tools, the space, and belief in their abilities.
“Before joining, my confidence level was around 10%. Now I come in with 100% confidence.”
Maria speaks with pride about the way women can lead not through force or authority, but through listening, and building unity. She believes women bring empathy and balance, and that when women support each other, entire communities rise.
Maria’s leadership journey didn’t just change her; it changed the way her community saw her, and the way she saw herself. It shifted her from staying quietly at home to organizing, speaking, coordinating, and inspiring others. At first there were challenges and resistance, especially from men – a reality many women face when stepping into leadership positions, but her consistency, accountability, and visible service earned respect.
“Actions speak louder than words. When people see your work, perspectives change.”
Maria’s growth came not only from skills and training, but from learning to carry herself differently. She is now more mindful of how she speaks, acts, and uses her voice, knowing she represents her community and other women stepping forward.
Her leadership today blends local realities with modern tools, including using social media to mobilize and share information, while still visiting homes and sitting with people face-to-face. She carries her faith and family values into her public work, believing leadership begins in humility and service at home.
“As mothers, if we can lead our homes fairly, we can lead our communities and even at the national level.”
Maria is not rushing into political leadership, but she is preparing with intention. She recently completed candidate training by FemLink Pacific supported by Balance of Power and sees the possibility of running in future elections, not in 2026, but with her eyes set on the one after.
“I might stand but not yet. The next one.”
Maria’s journey shows that leadership does not always start with loud confidence or formal titles; sometimes it begins quietly, in service, in small acts, and in moments when a community places trust in someone who might not yet be fully ‘qualified’ but who chooses to rise.