Starting Young. Entrepreneurs Receive Grants

Minister for Employment, Productivity, Industrial Relations, Youth and Sports Parveen Bala hands over the grant to Viniana Talei (right) and Austin Ateca Matarugu at Sabeto, Nadi on June 26, 2020.

Start young, take risks, learn from your mistakes, but never give up, says Adiula Raisele. Ms Raisele was among the three youth female entrepreneurs who received youth grants from the Minister for Employment, Productivity, Industrial Relations, Youth and Sports, Parveen Bala, at Sabeto, Nadi yesterday.

The Sabeto College Year 13 student operates a bakery in Sabeto Village.

“I am confident to put this grant to good use in the aim of expanding the business and providing timely service to her clients,” she said.

She learned how to bake from her grandmother when she was in Year 11.

“I would knock-off from school and start baking early from 6 -10pm. Be in bed by 10.30pm and up by 5.30am getting ready for school while my mother takes the pies and cakes to be sold at the stall in Namaka.”

She plans to further develop her skills at the Fiji National University.

Other recipients were Viniana Talei, Austin Ateca Matarugu, and Seremaia Koroi.

Mr Bala reminded the recipients, to learn about their businesses and to grow themselves as businesspeople.