Kaliti’s booming business
WITH her last savings of about $150 she kept at home Kaliti Maramasau Seniteteva decided to start a home-based business from Waibau settlement in Naitasiri.
Kaliti was down and out of luck when COVID-19 shutdown the tourism industry and her dream of working in the catering sector
Kaliti loved to bake and make pastries and she was determined to learn the trade through experience She had plans to start her own one day, but she needed to know more about the products in the market.
Her specialty is pastries. Kaliti studied tourism and hospitality and attained her Certificate III and IV in baking and pastries and a Certificate III and IV in cookery.
In 2010 she went on attachment for nine months at the prestigious Intercontinental Fiji Resort and Spa and in 2013 she took a six-month attachment at Plantation Island Resort before joining Morris Hedstrom pastry department.
“In 2015 to 2020 I secured work at yet another location, Lomani Island Resort and Bakewell Cakes Wholesalers & Distributors - gaining more experience at all these different work places.
“I had just moved in to join Lunch Box eatery, but got stuck in Waibau behind the Sawanin border in June.
The Tubou, Lakeba lass is the third child of five other sisters and also does farm work from time to time.
With only $150 under her name at the time she started baking cakes for birthdays and other special occasions.
“First I called my friends, relatives, neighbours and posted my products on social media. “Even I started to get calls.”
Kaliti said she was down but kept looking for other ways to earn money
“I didn’t want to sit and wait for the borders to reopen.
“Though my dad wanted me to study agriculture I chose baking. I’ve always been interested since a child because my mum’s family bake a lot for occasions
“I feel that’s where my interests came from. I always watched my mum bake at home and learnt all the skills and also things not to do.
“Bakers have a common understanding about not going overboard like my mum always tells me ‘baking a cake is something we have to be careful of because cakes can turn us down if we don’t respect the work you put into it’.
“After opening my small business I received orders from villages nearby such as, Nawabena, Naqali, Waitolu, Sawani, Navatuvula, Nacokaika.
“Every day orders keep coming either for birthdays and anniversaries.
I’m saving up some money. I’m more determined now than ever and I’m making plans to open my own cake shop soon