Nothing paints truer a picture of the hard times some Fijians are facing than the story of Pushpa Wati, a 74-year-old grandmother who will be celebrating Diwali alone.
The Hindu festival of lights, linked to joy, sweets and festivities, will be a sombre event for the mother and grandmother.
Ms Wati said this year her grandchildren would not be with her and she did not have enough money to buy things to invite guests to her home.
“I get social welfare from the Government but it’s not enough to pay my bills and buy ingredients to make sweets,” she said.
“I will be all alone. “The prices of the main ingredients needed to make sweets have increased so much, it is really difficult for me to buy it with my limited income.”
Ms Wati said Diwali in the past was a festival she looked forward to because she always had her granddaughters by her side.
“My children and grandchildren help me but they have their families to look after too so I can’t be always be depending on them.
“I think about how I will celebrate this year’s Diwali every day.
“Diwali is our biggest festival and this year I will ask my children for money or else I’ll just do it alone with whatever I have available.”
