Many of us give up on the chances to win big, but not for a teacher in the islands.
The Fiji Times reported a story on October 1, 1999, of how the long time coming of chance found its way to a principal on Koro Island.
Twenty years of playing Fiji Sixes numbers finally paid off for Koro High School principal Joeli Karavaki.
Mr Karavaki thought he was dreaming when he was told he had won the Fiji Sixes $160,000 main prize.
He was from Naloto Village in Tailevu but had been living on Koro.
He said he had always looked forward to a day when he would win but had never really believed it would ever come. On that day, Mr Karavaki, his wife Mereseini, and two of their five children celebrated with The Fiji Times staff.
“I hadn’t recorded my numbers. So, I decided to call up the Fiji Sixes office. When the manager (Sala Simpson) asked my name, she screamed in disbelief.”
He thought she was joking when she told him he had won, noting then that it was still hard to believe. Mr Karavaki immediately rang his family to share the news.
He thanked God for the blessing and The Fiji Times for their support to the community.
He remarked that when he did not win a prize, it never bothered him, as he knew the money would be used to save lives.
On how he would spend the money, he said part of it would be used on school projects, including new textbooks and repairs to teachers’ quarters.
As a token of appreciation to his family, he decided an overseas vacation was a must at the end of that year.
