ONE of Australia's best sidecar race drivers has been helping out Fijians in need for years, but he's revving up the charity work and is calling upon Bathurst for a helping hand.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Sean Griffiths, who has lived most of his life in Bathurst, is in the country's top 10 sidecar racers, but that's not the only thing he does on the side.
He's been fundraising to improve the infrastructure of five Fijian communities along the Coral Coast for 10 years now and helping families, some of whom have no power or running water.
But Mr Griffiths' out-of-pocket work needs an extra push because funds are running dry and demand for his help is growing.
"I have been doing all this off my own bat because they're almost like my own family," he said.
MORE INSPIRATIONAL STORIES FROM AROUND BATHURST:
When Mr Griffiths got married in Fiji around 14 years ago, he and his wife visited a small village and saw how some families on the island were living.
One lady who pulled on Mr Griffiths' heart-strings was raising her nine children in a small tin shed with no toilet or power - but the slab of concrete next to the shed got him thinking.
"I did a deal with her and we built the house she couldn't afford to and that's where it all started," he said.
He now travels back to Fiji three times a year, staying in villages and working in return for accommodation, and brings supplies to spread around the communities.
Mr Griffiths and his friends who travel with him help out by doing flooring, roofing, painting and plumbing for the houses.
"A lot of the houses don't have power or running water; some don't have a floor," he said. "And the kids have to have their own supplies or they can't go to school."
But even after 10 years, he said he is still amazed by how happy the people are with so little.
"Every trip I'm so lucky to learn something new, but I don't want to get anything out of helping them, it's just to make their lives a little easier," he said.
So why not help Australians first? Mr Griffiths said when he is asked this question, his answer is that Fijians have a $3.50 minimum wage and no welfare system.
Following a long haul of solo work, lugging 200 kilograms of excess baggage filled with supplies to the communities every few months, Mr Griffiths decided to upgrade his suitcase to a shipping container.
The container is sitting in his backyard and is two-thirds full, but still needs to be packed full with more children's toys, bikes, school supplies and basic household items.
"This is my last big push for a while," he said. "We've still got room in the container for more donations, but what we really need is the funds to ship it."
All Mr Griffiths needs now is help covering $3000 worth of shipping certificates, taxes and customs clearance expenses before his next three-week trip at the end of June and with up to six weeks of shipping time, the clock is ticking.
Search "Fiji Donations and Support" on Facebook or call Mr Griffiths on 0413 196 591 to arrange donations.
