From 2017 to 2019, MDF invested in understanding best practice community engagement methods for the private sector in Fiji. This included community engagement dedicated research in four villages.
The research gathered in-depth information on how indigenous Fijian villages operate and how the communities connect to, manage and maintain business
relationships. It looked at gendered dynamics within the villages, with the aim of providing insights for businesses which work with women and, ultimately, to strengthen the resilience and sustainability of strategies involving indigenous Fijian women.
The study found each village in Fiji was different, and businesses looking to work with villages or with individuals living in villages needed to understand the
context of each village structure,, and its activities and drivers, to successfully engage in business for mutually beneficial outcomes.