Turning roadside trade into family strengthBy the roadside in Vatukarasa Village, Nadroga, two women sit beside their laid out sulu laden with fresh produce.
For them, the bustling roadside, full of passing vehicles and pedestrians, is more than a place to sell. It is a way of keep their families going.
Adi Kelera Vakatovo, from Nukuilau, Navosa, is a mother of three, with two children in primary school. Together with her friend Inise Sauvana of Wainiyavu, Namosi, she has been selling food along the roadside for the past month.
Before this, the women sold their produce at the Sigatoka Municipal Market on weekends.
Today, they sell from Monday to Friday at Vatukarasa, earning enough to help meet household expenses and pay bills.
“With the price of groceries going up, we decided to help our husbands financially support the family,” they said.
Much of what they sell comes from their individual backyard gardens, while other items are sourced through market middlemen.
For Adi Kelera, the work is not about making a fortune but doing her part to keep everyone alive.
She believes women play an important role in the home by cleaning, cooking, caring for children and looking after the health of their families.
But she also believes women can contribute beyond the household when circumstances demand it.
Adi Kelera did not pursue a professional career after high school. Later in life, she realised she could stand beside her husband and help shoulder the responsibilities of raising a family.
Selling by the roadside, sometimes under the hot sun or in the rain, may not always feel glamorous. But Adi Kelera refuses to see it as shameful.
Her message to other women is: never look down on yourself.
“For women out there, every sale counts. Every dollar earned helps put food on the table, pay a bill and keep their families moving forward,” she said.
“There is dignity in honest workâand strength in a woman willing to do whatever she can for the people she loves .”
“There’s no shame in that but something we should be proud of\.”
Adi Kelera (right) and her friend, Inise Sauvana (left) sell their produce on the roadside at Vatukarasa Village in Nadroga. Picture: JOHN KAMEA
