Fiji Parish, Fiji: From its beginnings in the 1970s, the United Nations Volunteers programme (UNV) has served the special needs of small island developing states, such as those in the Pacific. Volunteers have experience and genuine interest in assisting island states overcome obstacles of physical isolation, limited economic and human resources, single-crop agriculture and emigration. In UNV's early years, small islands mainly sought technical assistance from UNV for strategic inputs to agriculture, health, education and the economy. During the 1990s, UNV has sought to give greater emphasis to enabling local communities to carry through initiatives they decide will meet their most pressing needs. Read