Sugarcane farmer Ganeshwa from Natunuku in Ba was the first recipient of a $3000 FijiCare Insurance assistance after he lost his home in a fire earlier this year.
The grandfather of nine said he would not have been able to rebuild his home without the $3000 insurance cover from the Sugar Cane Growers Fund.
“I lived in my home for most of my life. My children were born there and now my grandchildren,” he said of his Natunuku home.
“When we lost the house to a fire, I thought my whole world was ending.”
He said after moving into his son’s home, he prayed that help would come.
“My prayers were answered. “I can rebuild my home now and continue to look after my farm.”
The 74-year-old was one of many active farmers who would be receiving assistance from the growers fund to cover loss of farms and homes through fires.
Sugar Cane Growers Fund chief executive officer Raj Sharma said the fund had paid out more than $1.8 million in insurance premium to farmers over the past three years.
“Over $1 million has been paid in claims to more than 12,000 productive farmers,” he said.
“The farmer gets $1000 for funeral assistance, $3000 for term life, $3000 for the loss of their main house due to a fire and $3000 for permanent disability.”
