Thinking Ahead
Despite being unemployed, Sangeeta Devi knocked on every door in Labasa to find any job so she could earn some money and pay for her son’s minor voluntary membership account with FNPF.
Gideon Shawn Prasad, who is 8 years-old and lives in Siberia, Labasa, became a member of the Fiji National Provident Fund at the age of 6.
And he has never regretted having his mum make the decision to include him as a young FNPF member.
“I am very happy that my mother put me as a FNPF member because that will help me in the future,” he said.
“If I start saving with FNPF now, then they will help me a lot later in the future and even for my education so I get to achieve my dreams.”
After she opened her son’s FNPF account, Sangeeta then opened her own account.
During that period, Sangeeta was alone in Labasa because her husband had gone to the west to look for a job.
“Also during this time, I was looking for jobs, going from to house so I can open our FNPF accounts.”
“I had to open my son’s first for the sake of his future and my decision was based on the situation my family faced,” Sangeeta said. “It wasn’t easy going around house to house looking for any kind of job whether it is raking the yard, wash dishes, clean the house or wash the clothes but I didn’t give up.
“I didn’t want to be shy or be ashamed of what I was doing because for me, my son’s welfare is more important than anything else.
“So whatever money I earned, $10 will go towards FNPF in a week or fortnight but as long as some money was deposited.” It was her determination and perseverance that has seen her through to this day.
For a sickly mother who has undergone a few surgeries and admitted in hospital a couple of times,
Sangeeta believes her faith in God has enabled her to make right choices.
“We only have one son and my husband is old too so I decided to make him a member of FNPF because if anything happens to us, he will have a back- up,” she said.
“Our son will need these funds to pay for his education and to take care of his future.
“Both my husband and I are not well educated so this is the right thing to do for him for his own sake.”
Saving with the FNPF she said would be the best thing a parent could do for their children. “Sometimes when I visit relatives and friends or go to church on Sundays, I encourage parents to open up FNPF accounts for their children,” Sangeeta said. “It will be the best gift any parent can give to their child or children because we will be contributing towards their future from their young age.
“This also means that we don’t have to worry about their future education fees in tertiary schools as they have their own FNPF to pay for this.” “Everybody should join FNPF, even as voluntary member.”