It’s not always about the money

By Vatapuia Maiava 11 January 2017, 12:00AM

When it comes to job hunting in Samoa, it’s not the easiest of tasks.

And when you can’t find yourself a job then that’s when worry kicks in.

But why do people worry?

Is it the thought of having no way of generating money? Or maybe it’s the thought of not being able to take care of your loved ones.

For Pi’o Lesā, from the village of Lauli’i, he says it’s not always about the money. He reminds people that even without a job, you can still make a decent living.

“It’s not always about the money,” Pi’o told the Village Voice.

“You see, money will finish eventually and if you focus on just trying to make money then you family won’t eat once it’s gone. But for the families who have developed a decent plantation they will do alright.”

“With that in mind, I use it as motivation for me to make the constant trip to the plantation every day so that my family will be set for the future.”

He explains that with a plantation, you can feed your family even when you have no money. Through crop sales you are also able to make a bit of money.

“With my plantation, I grow banana’s which I take to the market to sell,” Pi’o said.

“Aside from earning money from it, the crops are also used at home to feed the family. Right now, that is my one priority, my plantation. I focus all my strength on my piece of land.”

“While everyone makes their way to work in the morning, this is what we do. We stay at home and go to the plantation. This is our duty to our family and I do it to the best of my ability.”

“It’s also a peaceful type of work.”

And for those who are still worried about not being able to land a job, Pi’o says to calm down and build up a plantation.

“When people can’t find jobs, they begin to panic,” he said.

“It’s good to know that we have many different options to make money at our disposal; like a plantation for instance. This helps me with all of the obligations I have.”

“And like I mentioned before, it’s not about the money. You can survive on your plantation alone and even if you find your wallet empty, with a plantation, you will be set.”

Pi’o says that a plantation will also help with the high cost of living.

“Much has changed in Samoa and one of those things is the increasing cost of living,” he said.

“That’s why work like this is very important, not only will it make spending less, but you can also earn more money to spend.”

“But back to the issue of cost of living; there are times when I make a bit of money and once it’s in my hand, I just watch it disappear fast.”

“That’s why I stress the importance of the humble plantation.”

By Vatapuia Maiava 11 January 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.

>