Brought up among the rice paddies of Bua and the sugarcane fields of Seaqaqa in Macuata, life was never easy. Survival was a daily grind.
But Abdul Azam, 55, has proven that poverty should never define a person. Instead, it should shape where you begin and inspire how you rewrite your future.
“Growing up, life was tough. It forced me to work hard and overcome my problems,” Mr Azam said.
“In the end, I prospered — but not without first facing hardships. I had to work extra hard.”
After dropping out of school in Form 4, Mr Azam went in search of opportunity. In the 1980s, he moved to the Garden Island, where he worked for a shoemaker in Somosomo.
That marked a turning point in his life.
Armed with the skills and knowledge he gained, he later moved to Viti Levu and settled in Nasinu, where he opened his own shoe repair business. Before that dream fully took shape, he worked briefly as a truck driver, waiting for the right moment to stand on his own.
That moment came in 2000, when he secured a small space at the Nasinu Town Council building in Valelevu.
“Life can be unfair at times, but you must never give up,” Mr Azam said.
“Focus on your dream and stick to it. Do everything you can to realise it. Be consistent.”
Today, Mr Azam runs Bob’s Shoe Repair, a cramped but busy shop specialising in the repair of shoes, bags and cooking stoves, items many would discard without a second thought.
“If you have these things at home in a state of disrepair, then I am your man,” he said with a smile.
“Don’t throw them away. Bring them to me for fixing.”
His earnings fluctuate, with busy days followed by quieter ones. Still, he manages to pay the bills and set aside savings for rainy days. He supports himself and his two daughters, who live with their mother.
“I have separated from my wife and live alone, but I’m fortunate to have this small repair business,” he said.
“It keeps me going.”
Through shoe repairing, Mr Azam has managed to acquire two properties, and he has no plans to retire anytime soon.
For him, the greatest rewards of his work go beyond income. It is the people he meets and the freedom of being his own boss that matter most.
“I love my job because of the people I meet and the stories we share,” he said.
“Everyone has a story to tell, and it’s always good to be willing to listen.”
He takes pride in his independence and the ability to make his own decisions.
“Because I have my own business, I can lock up anytime and go home. Nobody bosses me or tells me what to do.”
Reflecting on his journey, Mr Azam has a clear message for young people: stay away from drugs.
He warns that substance abuse harms both physical and mental health and can derail lives before they truly begin.
“Don’t throw your life away by taking up drugs,” he said.
“Nurture your life just as your parents nurtured you. Make them proud and happy.”
From the struggles of his childhood to the small repair shop he now calls his own, Abdul Azam’s story is one of resilience, a reminder that humble beginnings, though riddled with hardship, can still lead to a life of purpose and prosperity.
