Making the most of what life offers

By Seia Soloi 01 March 2017, 12:00AM

A diet of elegi and rice is not a bad thing.

As long as you believe there are brighter days ahead.

Ask Fia Vaauli and that’s what she will tell you.

The 30-year-old mother of two looks after her children while her husband works.

 “The cost of living doesn’t scare me,” she said.

“It is what it is. It is reality and it’s happening every day. Our people are used to it and we just have to cope with it.”

For Fia’s family, it means they have to live according to their means.

With her husband’s weekly wage, they budget the money for electricity, water, school needs and faalavelaves.

What remains is spent on food.

And that often means whatever they can find.

 “Our family is simple,” she said. “We have a plantation to depend on when there’s no food. We often buy two elegis a day and some rice and that’s it.”

 “What’s important to me is that we develop our own family. This is the best thing for my children. We learn as we go and we are happy with life.”

Fia knows times are changing and that there are always many challenges.

But the key she said is to be positive and be grateful for whatever we have.

 “We have land, water and food,” she said.

“Sometimes we run out of cash power but that’s okay. As of now we are working fast to get our power on to make things much easier especially at nights.”

Fia dreams of a big house one day but for now she is contented with their small hut. She is positive though.

“One day,” she said about a big home. “One day.”

By Seia Soloi 01 March 2017, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

Upgrade to Premium

Subscribe to
Samoa Observer Online

Enjoy unlimited access to all our articles on any device + free trial to e-Edition. You can cancel anytime.

>