The Streets: Our Home
Being labeled as street people may be viewed as disgraceful by some, but for Keresi Luisa and Leona Nenewa, it has been their ideal home for many years.
The duo now live with other street dwellers as a family who provides acceptance and love; an experience they never got in their own family circles.
The two have been staying at the Daulomani Safe Home in Tomuka, Lautoka, because of the health restrictions and curfew orders.
Leona Nenewa, 30, is originally from Nukutubu, Rewa. He was only 16 when he hit the streets in 2007.
“I dropped out of St Thomas High School when I was in Form Five. It was hard for me because my parents were disappointed with my sexuality. So for them to accept it, I left home,” he said.
“I met some high school friends who were also on the street, I was the youngest seeking comfort. They became my family and even encouraged me to go back to school.
“The street life seemed the only solution because I started to discover my sexuality among those who understood me and soon I became a sex worker to earn a living.
“Because of this crisis, I settled here at Daulomani Home and ventured into farming.
“I thank my parents for giving life to me, but unfortunately life took a twist and this will be my 16th year as a sex worker.”
Unfortunately he has now become vulnerable to public criticism.
“A lot of hardships are faced on the streets like Police hurling verbal harassment, there’s public discrimination, one time soldiers took us for drills at the army camp,” he said.
“They describe us an abomination and what we do is shameful. What they did was hurtful, but this made us more rebellious.”
At the age of 18, he returned home briefly to his parents.
“I was taken home by Police and when we sat down together, I asked for forgiveness and everything was okay. Then from time to time I flatted out, went to Suva, Nadi, Ba and Tavua,” he said.
Now he has found comfort at the Daulomani Safe Home. Most occupants are street dwellers.
Keresi Luisa, 56, originally from, Lasekau, Bau, Tailevu, previously lived in Kalokolevu Village with her husband and five children, three of whom are married. Ms Luisa married in 1982 and claims she spent 14 years in an abusive relationship until she decided to leave the relationship.
“I came to the streets in 1999 because I separated from my husband. My husband was having an affair so I took my children to my brother,” she said.
“After he assaulted me, I sat him down and told him we were leaving. My mother in law knew when my husband would bring other girls when I was at home with the children. These things hurt me.”
Heartbreak consumed her and so she took to the streets to find solace.
“My children always tell me ‘mum don’t be like this’ and I told them ‘you cannot and will never understand my sadness and I don’t want you to know. They haven’t tried to get me off the street, but I visit them,” she said.
“I ended up becoming an alcoholic until I met Daulomani Safe Home founder Edwina Biyau in 2009 in Suva.
“It’s only when I remember what my husband put me through, that I go to the streets.
“At the home I have come to know what real love is, whatever we have, we share and we love each other and that’s why I chose to stay here.”
Daulomani Safe Home founder
Daulomani Safe Home founder Edwina Biyau said the home received confirmation that it had been recognised as a non-government organisation. There are 20 adults residing at the home and one three-year-old child.
“The home started in 2020 and now we have seven volunteers who look after the home,” she said.
“When the home first started we were supposed to only take in LGBQT group, but when anyone came from the streets, we can’t do much and we helped them. Some have been on the streets for 10 years, some for five years.
“No new people have come to the home, but during the lockdown Police or the Lautoka City Council personel come and drop them here after removing them from the streets. They have nowhere else to go so that’s why I have opened my door to anyone living on the streets.”
The home operates on income generation activities, such as the backyard farming of vegetables such as cassava, eggplant, rourou and bele They sell their produce at the Lautoka Market.
Veilomani Boys Home superintendent, Reverend Wame Boseilawa, said the home located in Ba housed 22 boys, aged 11 to 19 years. There have been cases of boys choosing to return to the streets.
“We try our best to stop that and one way is to encourgae them finish their education” he said.
“We do our best to take care of them, but once the care order has expired, the social welfare department has to move them back to their family.”
The home has been operating since 1976. Because of overcrowding at the Dilkusha Home, boys would be transferred there.
St Tabitha Home matron Abess Melani Matron said the boys’ home based in Saweni, Lautoka was opened in 2015. To date 13 boys reside at the home. The requirement is for the boys to leave by the age of 17, but all are still underage
Ministry
The Permanent Secretary of Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation, Jennifer Poole, said there were ongoing activities to assist street dwellers.
“The ministry operates a special unit called the ‘Loloma Unit’ under the Department of Social Welfare that works together with Police and other stakeholders to address the issue of the beggars and homeless in the streets of our towns and cities,” she said.
“Part of their work is to profile these individuals and to obtain information on their backgrounds. Our staff assess to determine what assistance could be rendered.”
She said different categories of beggars and street dwellers have been discovered. Some are professional beggars who have homes, beg on the week days then return home in the evening.
“Some do not beg, but would hang around town and return to their homes in the evenings. The latter cases include those street persons with mental health issues,” she said.
Ms Poole said the ministry had requested families ensure their relatives were not living on the streets at this time.
Police spokesperson Wame Bautolu said they ensured that movement restrictions and curfew orders were adhered to adding that most street dwellers had homes, but chose to remain on the streets.