$5100 win ‘an answer to my prayers’
THE COVID-19 pandemic has been very hard for my family and I will use the $5,100 very wisely. For 26-year-old Natasha Lal from Nakasi, who was one of the 10 winners of the Win Together Sweepstakes which was drawn by Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama this afternoon, the prize money will be used on her parents.
“Both my parents are stroke patients and they get social welfare assistance. I don’t work because I have to look after them so having $5,100 will help us a lot,” Ms Lal said.
“I had come to Navua to attend a prayer so I only got to know that I had won when my relatives called me. This was the icing on the cake although I think without any rewards, getting vaccinated is very important for Fiji to get back to normal,” she said.
Ms Lal said she had lost the same amount at the hands of a scam artist last year when she had been hoodwinked to give $5,100 for application to travel overseas for the purpose of working so that she could support her parents.
“After losing the money, it was very tough for me because I am not working so I had to face many challenges. I had become really worried and I prayed a lot so I feel winning this lottery was the answer to my prayers.”
Ms Lal said although her parents find it difficult to move around, they got themselves vaccinated as they are considered as more vulnerable to COVID and living with an extended family puts them at risk.
In wishing her fellow Fijians a happy independence day, she reminded everyone that getting vaccinated was very important for the betterment of the nation- “if my sickly parents got vaccinated, then I am sure anyone can”.