A bamboo-thatched mud house, a bed made of porous grass, and a kerosene lantern as a source of light did not deter Ruci Sainimoli Sera Akauola from working hard to achieve the collective dreams of her family.
Akauola is a living testament of how faith in God makes anything possible, including academic ambitions such as graduating from tertiary studies.
The 22-year-old from Lomati in Matuku, with maternal links to Sawakasa, Qoma in Tailevu, successfully completed a Bachelor of Engineering (Civil) with Honours from the College of Engineering, Science and Technology (CEST) at the Fiji National University.
Education
For Akauola, the transition from secondary to tertiary studies was a challenge she endured. From having to move homes within Viti Levu, and starting from scratch due to unprecedented circumstances, life was not easy for the young lass.
“I spent majority of my primary school years in Suva and Lautoka, completing Years 1-7 at Davuilevu Methodist Primary, Dilkusha Girls in Suva and then Saru MGM Primary School in Lautoka,” Akauola shared.
“Whilst I was studying at Jai Narayan College, we lived in a bamboo shack house and there was no electricity. All the studying that I did at night was done under the beams of a kerosene lantern,” she said.
“However, I still had hopes for a better future and used my situation at the time to motivate me to do better.
“We moved to Lautoka in 2012 and during Tropical Cyclone Winston in 2016, our house was blown away, so we had to start from scratch, we found temporary shelter at the Saru Assembly of God (AOG) Church until our house was rebuilt.”
Akauola then completed her high school studies at Natabua High School in Lautoka.
While sure that she planned to pursue studies and a career in the field of engineering, Akauola began doing her own research on suitable tertiary options aligned to her interests.
“I chose FNU, because I believed that they would directly have an influence and be the foundation towards my career choice,” she highlighted.
“I had done research regarding the engineering programs and saw that it was relevant to the engineering work life, and also because of the practicals associated with the theory taught at the college.”
Despite being away from home at FNU, Akauola found a new family in the residents of the Derrick Campus Hostel in Samabula during her four-year program.
Career
The soft-spoken Akauola is currently a Technical Assistant at the Leak Detection Unit of the Water Authority of Fiji’s (WAF) Shipping Depot.
“I assisted the team by updating works carried out within the week, to assess the minimum night flows used by each area, and to indicate the leaks that might be present within a pipeline that would need atteding to,” she explained.
“If my task is completed properly, I save my team’s time, by indicating places that need immediate attention and areas that would need attending to later.”
Family
“My family and I have been through a lot of hardships, and I contribute my success to them,” the aspiring engineer said.
“My parents have done their best to support me throughout my years of studies and I am grateful for their lives.
“My father Rusiate Vulaono was the sole bread winner of the family. My mum Ulita Tokimailakeba was a domestic worker, but she left for a contract overseas as a caregiver last year.
“Being the eldest in my family, I always strived to be a better role model for my younger siblings.
“In 2019, I lost my mentor and grandfather, and I thought my world had ended. However, I had my younger siblings looking up to me, and my grandmother to take care of.
“Life hasn’t been so easy for us all. My grandmother also suffered from a mild stroke and is currently recovering.
“I am hoping that graduating from a Bachelor of Engineering (Civil) with Honours will likely ensure my family’s needs are fulfilled, and I intend to keep on making them proud. With God’s guidance and protection, anything is possible.”
Words of Wisdom
“Life has not been one smooth ride, but I still had hopes for a better future.
“The circumstance and situation that I encountered at every step of my life, motivated me to do better, and I am grateful.
“Even though I was enrolled in a traditionally male-dominated program, I am grateful for God’s guidance.
“The support I had from both my family and friends at home, as well as from my new family at FNU, especially the tireless efforts of my lecturers, helped me pull through.”
