Man survives on collecting bottles

By Ulimasao Fata 14 November 2017, 12:00AM

Everybody has their own struggles.

For Maua Tuitoto, 38 years of age from the village of Falelauniu, money is his biggest problem.

The Village Voice caught up with Mr. Tuitoto yesterday morning while he was collecting empty bottles around Nu’u Fou village.

“I have been looking for a job but I haven’t been successful so this is what I do now in order to get money,” he said.

“The struggle that I have now is that I do not have any money at all.”

“I do not have a job and this is the only job that I am doing right now is collecting empty bottles from the neighborhood so I can get money.”

Mr. Tuitoto told Village Voice yesterday that the cost of living is very expensive.

“The cost of things is too high at the moment and it becomes a struggle because I don’t work but I only get money from collecting bottles,” he said.

“I collect these bottles and then I have to wash it all clean and waited for the delivery to come pick it up and give out money.”

“So that is what I do to get money for myself because I don’t work but this is the only way I am making money.”

Mr. Tuitoto also told Village Voice his one other struggle with his work is the weather.

“That is the only problem that I have here doing my job is that the weather is so hot and I have to walk around and do this every day.”

Mr. Tuitoto also added that he is not ashamed of what he is doing and he will continue to do that every day.

“There is no shame in what I do because I am getting money out of this to do whatever I want, and I will still continue to do this as long as I want.” 

So next time you discard that empty glass bottle, think of Mr. Tuitoto and his plight.

By Ulimasao Fata 14 November 2017, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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