After speaking to the Village Voice yesterday, it is clear that Maligi Aoao is not only a hardworking farmer, but a positive one.

The 40-year-old comes from Tanumapua and he understands how life has changed so much over the past few years.

Mr. Aoao is a father of five children, four of whom are attending Levaula School while one is still a baby. 

“The only thing I’m good at is being a farmer and that is why I do what I do.

“But even if I was good at doing another job, I couldn’t just take it because I’m the man of my family and my wife needs help with managing our children and our home.

“I’m not the type to be pressured about how life is now.

“I think it’s important to always remember who you are because with the many changes, one can easily lose themselves.”

Mr. Aoao said that he works in his plantation to get food for his family.

“The plantation is our source of food and our source of income but I only sell my crops when I think we really do need the money.

“That’s either in times when we need money for electricity or when the children need something.

“But so far, what we have is more than enough. Power’s good, water’s good even though it stops running sometimes, but it’s never for a long period of time. 

“You know, it’s enough for me and my family to just have a fa’alifu taro and sip on a cup of Samoan cocoa to survive every day. 

 “Life is going by so fast, so you need to try to live with what you have, or you will have nothing.”