DON’T measure yourself by what you have accomplished, but by what you can do.
That attitude has been Sefeti Jiuta’s forte.
At just 23, he has defied the odds, becoming the first in his family to graduate from university. He now looks forward to pursuing his Master’s degree studies in Japan.
Born and raised at Nadonumai settlement in Lami, Jiuta grew up in a modest household where hard work was a necessity.
His parents, though not formally educated, did everything they could to provide for him and his three older siblings.
“They worked hard to provide me with the things I have today and to shape who I am,” Jiuta said.
He attended Suva Methodist Primary School, Dudley Intermediate and Dudley High School.
He also spent a year at Lelean Memorial School before returning to Dudley to complete his secondary education.
He said he was an average student who never won academic prizes or became a school prefect. But this did not discourage him from pursuing higher education.
“After I finished high school, I went to USP. I became the first in my family to graduate from tertiary.
“None of my siblings graduated from tertiary. They all went through it, but they never finished.”
At the age of 21, Jiuta’s life took an unexpected turn when his father passed away. The news reached him while he was in Japan participating in the JENESYS (Japan-East Asia Exchange for Students and Youths) program.
He received the fateful call. Despite his grief, Jiuta didn’t allow his sorrow to deter him. He returned to school and attended follow-up seminars where he first learned about the MEXT scholarship.
“That’s where they tell students to apply for the scholarship, so I applied.
“And I also watched YouTube and TikTok where they talked about the scholarship. I thought I’d try my luck.
“I applied last year and passed the interview process.
Jiuta was in the village enjoying his holiday, when he received an email followed by a call.
“They told me that I’d been selected, I was nervous, I didn’t know what to do.
“It was a huge blessing for me because after graduating from USP, I didn’t know whether to find a job or further my studies,” Jiuta said.
Now, he’s preparing to embark on his Master’s degree program in Japan.
“To the younger generation, I just tell them, never look down on themselves,” he said.
“Keep going, because once you reach tertiary, it’s a whole different level. It’s a whole different environment too.”
