Among the Nofotane women undergoing training for business development is a 52-year-old widower, Mika Tulifau Finau, who is carrying on his late wife’s legacy of talent and enterprise.

He is the sole man among the women who are participating in the Nofotane workshop hosted by SVSG at the TATTE building to improve their knowledge of ways and strategies to make ends meet.

In an interview with Mika, he spoke on how much of an impact his late wife brought into their home and how being part of the Nofotane programme has helped him and his family immensely in the sense that it has taught them ways to best utilise their talents to be able to provide for their family.

“Since my wife developed a passion for arts and crafts, I always try and help her as much as I can in all ways possible and though she passed away last year, her passion lives in our home,” he said.

“As a family, we share the same goal of keeping her good works and talents alive through making these crafts and continuing to sell them as they contributed very much to the development of our family.

"The absence of my wife never get easier to live with but to be able to take part in this program and further her efforts brings my children and I great comfort.

Another Nofotane participant, Inailau Vaine Elisara, a seamstress from Toamua said the training is a refresher that has given her new ideas and a broader perspective on how to expand and sustain her business in the long run.

“I’ve been a seamstress for seven years now and all of my work is done from home but my goal for this year is to expand my business and open up my store in town,” she said.