Moetoto Ioane, of Falelauniu, believes one of the biggest problems in Samoa is trying to find a job.

Aged 22, he counts himself fortunate with his employment as a security guard.

His message to all the young people in Samoa is to make good use of your time. He says that if you can’t find work then it isn’t the end of the world; you can always turn to your plantation to make ends meet.

Before becoming a security guard, Moetoto made the most of his time in his plantation to care for his family but now he does both.

“I am actually employed as a security guard and I just got off work,” he told the Village Voice.

“My aunty also has a job so it’s just her and I in the family who are currently working. When I finish my shifts then I make my way to the plantation to do a bit more work.

“When we get our pay then we first get our expenses out of the way and if we have any left then we save it. The plantation also gets us a bit of money.”

Moetoto explains that one of the biggest issues in Samoa is the difficulty in finding work.

“Right now the biggest issue in Samoa is that it’s really hard to find a job,” he said.

“But I guess on the bright side, it gives a lot of us young people more free time to help out within our families. We can go and make use of the land by planting crops to eat or to sell.

“A lot of young people waste their free time but my only advice is to make good use of your time by doing something useful for the benefit of your family.”

But his advice is that the plantation can earn you just as much money along with providing things you can cook for meals.

“For many who are unable to get a job, the plantation is not a bad place to go to,” Moetoto said.

“You will still be able to take care of your loved ones with the crops you grow. You can grow taro which can save you money you spend on rice, you can grow vegetables for your meals.

“Not only will you be able to save money; but you can also make some in the process.”

All in all, Moetoto is grateful for the opportunity to take care of his family.

“Even before I became a security guard, I would always tend this plantation,” he said.

“My family has relied on it for about two years now and it’s still providing us with what we need. The land in this village has done so much for my family.

“My previous village didn’t have land like this where we can work on, and now we have this big space in which we can cultivate.

“If people don’t work then they will suffer and that is the truth I hold. My dream is to one day be able to take my family overseas so we can have a better life.”