With just one arm, Josaia Votonimoli shows that determination is stronger than disability, and that action beats excuse every time.
From harvesting freshwater mussels (sili kai) in the mornings to selling them at Laqere market in Suva, he moves with a determination that stops passersby in their tracks.
At the age of 30, he lost his right arm during Cyclone Ana in 2021 when he was badly injured and that threatened his livelihood.
When he was rushed to hospital doctors said amputation was the only way to save his life. But giving up was never an option for him.
Father to six, he divides his children between households. His three sons are with his ex-wife, and his three daughters with him.
Mr Votonimoli said he has a farm of his own in Toga, Rewa to provide fruits and vegetables for his family, but the money from mussels pays the bills and supports his children.
“I do this for my kids,” he said.
He has always been selling at the Nausori market but decided to give the Laqere market a try and saw the difference immediately.
He said when people come across him, they often ask how he does it with just one arm.
His reply is simple: “I do it because I must. If I can do this with one arm, what’s stopping you?”
For Mr Votonimoli, work isn’t just survival, it’s a statement. A call to young men out there to use their strength, to earn, and to stop finding excuses. Lazing around or crime isn’t an option when there’s life to build.
