Meet Jone Vakaroronalevu Tawake, a 24-year-old with a remarkable journey that began in the humble village of Vatukarasa in Verata, Tailevu. Despite facing early struggles, his determination and resilience paved his path to success.
Growing up, Mr Tawake spent his early childhood years with his grandmother in Vatukarasa.
Times were tough, and most days, he had only four pieces of FMF biscuits for school lunch.
However, this challenging experience fuelled his drive to succeed later in life.
“It was from those days that I was determined to be better in life; my grandmother would always tell me that I had to be successful in life every time she handed me four biscuits,” he said.
“And that was something that stuck with me. Every time I achieve something, I always remember the four biscuits and my grandmother’s advice.
“At the age of eight, he moved to Suva to live with his parents and attended Saint Marcellin Primary School before going on to attend Marist Brothers High School. In 2015, witnessing his mother’s graduation ceremony from Vanuatu ignited a spark within him. Inspired by her achievements, Mr Tawake set his sights on becoming a lawyer himself.
“Growing up, all I wanted was to be successful, but I had no idea what I wanted to be. When my mother graduated in 2015, I got inspired, and I knew that was what I wanted to be: a lawyer just like mum.”
After five years of dedicated study at the University of the South Pacific, Mr Tawake graduated with a Bachelor of Law in 2023.
His proudest moment came on April 5, 2024, when he was officially admitted to the bar. It was a joyous occasion for his family, especially as his mother had the honour of moving his petition.
“Graduating was great, but being admitted to the bar is a different feeling of joy altogether; it’s like knowing that you have indeed made it.”
“To make it more memorable, I saw my mother being the one that moved my petition, the very one I aspire to be like career-wise.”
Throughout his journey, Mr Tawake’s biggest inspiration has been his mother. His only advice is: “It doesn’t matter where you start. If the heart is willing, the goals will be achieved.”
“When I told my mum that I wanted to be a lawyer too, she fully supported it and pushed me every day. I was lucky that she still had her old textbooks that I could use because she wanted to sell them.”
Mr Tawake expressed deep gratitude to his family for their unwavering prayers and support. He also would like to acknowledge the Tailevu Provincial Council for providing him with a two-year scholarship, which played a crucial role in his success.
As he now awaits being thrown into the workforce, Mr Tawake has already set sights on moving abroad later in his career to practice law and pursue further education to earn himself a Masters.
From humble beginnings to legal triumph, Mr Tawake’s story serves as a reminder that with determination and support, anything is possible.
