Save finds life in music

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Savenaca Waqabaca plays with a guitar at home on Moce Island, Lau. Picture: JOHN KAMEA

At a point in life “never give up” is a statement we often used to push the mind to go beyond its limit.

Those very three words have provided inspiration to 21-year-old Savenaca Waqabaca.

Save is a visually impaired student of Moce Secondary School in Lau. He joined after graduating from the Fiji Society for the Blind school in Vatuwaqa.

On Moce there is no trained teacher or proper facilities and equipment to teach him.

However, it is on the island, amid all its string of challenges that Save must find his dream.

“I believe in myself that I can do anything,” he said during an interview on Moce last week.

Two of Save’s greatest needs on the island were having a sighted guide to help him move around more freely and installing the JAWS software on his laptop to help him with his studies.

Save’s wish came true last week when the United Nations, government and development partners’ joint mission to central Lau visited Moce.

Led by the United Nations resident co-ordinator, Sanata Samarasinha, the joint mission helped restore connectivity on Moce which made it possible for officials to download the software Save needed to help him with schoolwork.

He was also able to spend time with a qualified sighted guide who was part of the mission team.

Mr Samarasinha said the assistance rendered to Save demonstrated what a sound communications infrastructure could do to enhance rural people’s potential and support socio-economic development.

He also stressed that members of vulnerable and disadvantaged communities should not be left behind in development.

The joint mission also helped restore communications on other islands.

Savenaca loves being independent and does his own bed and grooming. He takes himself to school each morning.

His perseverance is an example of how we should never use the adversities we face in life as an excuse to quit our dreams.

“I hope to study music and computers at the Fiji National University after school,” he said.

The Year 11 student loves music and is passionate about one day playing for the United Blind Persons of Fiji band at Brown Street, Suva. “I play the keyboard in church. I also play the guitar.”

He said music made him feel “like he is in a recording studio”.

Save lives with his parents, grandmother and two brothers.

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