Unemployed because of a knee injury, a father-of-five who lost his mobility earlier this year pleads for assistance as they barely make ends meet on a $50 weekly income.
In a one-bedroom lean-to-home in Drasa outside Lautoka, Vatiliai Suesue struggles daily to look after two younger children while his wife sells at the Lautoka market to earn some income for their needs.
The emotional father’s plea for assistance arose from his struggles to recover from his hard-fought medical condition and his pain in witnessing his children’s struggles to live a normal life.
“This is a humble plea to Good Samaritans and to individuals who may want to assist,” Mr Suesue said.
“Any sort of assistance that will help my family get through at least until I recover fully and get back to my own two feet will be greatly appreciated.
“It may not sound right for a father to be pleading but I’m just doing it for the sake of my family and my children, I am doing the best I can to recover and get back to work to provide for them again.”
Outside their Vadraseikiyasawa settlement home is an abundance of green leafy vegetables and root crops.
It is this small farm that sustains their daily living and where their mother gets her produce to sell at the market.
The family of seven mostly survives from their mother’s weekly market income of $50.
During the week, Mr Suesue looks after their eight-month old baby and four-year-old while his wife spends the entire day selling at the market and their three elder children aged 10, eight and five attend a nearby school.
“I’ve been working at the Fiji Pine nursery when my feet got swollen in March and I was forced to stay home after my surgery.
“I haven’t been able to walk ever since.
“It has been a really tough time for me, I know that I have a fatherly responsibility to look after my family but my medical condition has denied me the right to do so.”
Those willing to assist can reach out to the family on 2031570.
