Nothing is impossible
Halofaki excels in sports and studies
SALOTE Halofaki believes nothing is impossible when it comes to balancing studies and sports.
Halofaki loves to play rugby and hopes to one day represent Fiji.
The former Dudley High School and Adi Cakobau School student graduated from the Fiji National University (FNU) with a Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting and Information System.
Her desire to pursue a career in this field was equalled by her interest in playing rugby.
She had represented her school and various rugby clubs over the years in women's 7s and 15s rugby, touch rugby and rugby league.
She was part of the Lautoka Maroons Women's Rugby team that were champions at the Skipper Cup challenge last year.
The team was also Vanua Cup challenge winners in 2019.
Halofaki represented the country as part of the Fijiana 15s team for the Oceania Cup Championship in 2018 and believes if she could juggle both her interests, then so could others if they put their mind to it.
She said working towards her academic aspirations whilst chasing a passion on the sports field instilled in her the importance of perseverance, time management, consistency and hard work.
"FNU provided me with the relevant information and skills set that I need to possess. I had a great learning experience at FNU and what I have gained from my studies is relatable to real-life experiences and my field of study.
"I am also grateful for the compulsory industrial attachment component as it prepared me for working life."
She is the youngest of four siblings and the only girl in her family. She is grateful to her parents for investing in their education.
"Without them, the four of us would never be university graduates.
"I am also inspired by my parents as they have excelled in the finance sector and believe education is essential to a better life.
"They have always encouraged us to keep striving forward based on the foundation that they and the older generation have set.
"My strong faith in God has also allowed me to achieve all the goals I have set in life. With hard work, nothing is impossible."
In 2019, Halofaki was a temporary attaché at the Fiji Revenue & Customs Service and assisted in the issuance of tax compliance and statement of tax accounts as requested by taxpayers.
Her work requires Halofaki to communicate accurate information with due diligence and provide sensitive information to clients in a transparent and confidential manner.
"This is my first opportunity to work at an outsourcing business so it has been a learning experience. Given the nature of the business, I have been able to attain further skills in banking, marketing and management and learn how businesses benefit from information technology and innovation."