Amid the sights and sounds of the bustling Rakiraki Market, the quiet yet powerful story of Sulita Naibita unfolds.
The devoted single mother works tirelessly to support her family back in the village; her persevering hands bear the marks of hard toil and the fruits of perseverance.
From Nararavou Village in Ra, Sulita embodies true resilience. Her steadfast spirit keeps her moving — whether under the heat of the farm or the hum of the marketplace.
When she isn’t tending her fields, she rises before dawn to travel by carrier to the market. By 9 a.m., she’s already at her stall, carefully laying out her produce and ready to catch the attention of market patrons.
Beyond selling her own harvest, Sulita also brings along her brother’s produce, ensuring that the work of her family continues to thrive.
Her story reminds us that determination, no matter how humble, always bears fruit.
“My brother provides us with a few produces to sell. Aside from my tomatoes, chillies and leafy greens, he provides the root crops,” she said.
“I’ve never been married but I have a daughter. With farming I’ve been able to support my child’s education and also other obligations in the village.”
Sulita lives on her own while her daughter resides with her family back in Nararavou.
Her weekly earnings help put food on the table, take care of household expenses, fund church contributions and support vanua obligations.
Each week she takes $200 back home – a sufficient amount she says.
“I often come to the market on Thursdays, sometimes I sleep here if I have a lot of produce to sell. The next day I try to sell everything then return home.
“We have to be content with life, and it starts with what we earn – seeing that it’s enough for our livelihood.
When Sulita isn’t busy selling at the market, she either farms, weaves mats, or helps out in the village.
While people are still curled up in bed in the morning, she is already sharpening her knife and putting on her work clothes – ready to sow seeds that will later feed her family and her customers.
Aside from supporting her own family, she said visiting the elderly and the sick with the women of her village has given her a sense of purpose,
