The Fiji Times covered a story on October 9, 1996, about a farmer from rural Viti Levu whose determination and hard work reflected the resilience of many rural families.
It featured 55-year-old Namena, Tailevu, farmer Saimoni Nakuta, who believed the key to a brighter future was perseverance and dedication.
That belief, he said, was why he worked tirelessly in his plantation every day to achieve good results.
When The Fiji Times met Mr Nakuta, he was on his way to his plantation — carrying his i su (basket woven from coconut fronds), which he used to carry dalo and cassava back to his village, about one and a half miles away. Each day, he trekked to his plantation to plant and tend to his root crops.
On harvest days, however, his routine was different. Mr Nakuta would carefully select and prepare his best produce for sale at the Suva market the following day.
“To hire a carrier to take our produce to the market in Suva costs $8 per head,” he said.
“But this is reasonable when we compare it to Nausori.”
His weekly efforts were rewarded when he sold his produce on Saturday.
“All my hard work for the week pays off when I am able to sell all my root crops on Saturday.
A successful trip to the market earned him about $100.
“I know that this requires a lot of sacrifices and dedication.
“I work very hard to get money to finance my family because I don’t want my children to end up in the village. I would like to see them get good jobs and earn a living.”
