Lewabeka helps rugby star by picking waste
FOR the past 22 years Asinate Lewabeka has played a significant role in reducing flooding and keeping the environment pristine and clean.
She has done all that while putting food on the table for her family and putting six children through school, including Fijiana 7s bronze medalist Lavena Cavuru.
In fact, even though she is too modest to admit it, Ms
Lewabeka played a huge part in Cavuru’s rugby career.
The 64-year-old matriarch has achieved all that by doing a job that many look down upon — picking through waste at the Vunato landfill in Lautoka.
She said she had been the subject of scorn and stigmatisation because of the work she did.
“I have been at this job since late 1998 and it has sustained my family and I for over 20 years,” she said.
Ms Lewabeka said the money she earned from selling bottles and scrap metal kept her family fed, clothed and educated.
“I was able to send my children and support my grandchild Lavena throughout her rugby career, from when she started playing rugby to now.
“The money I got from selling waste and scrap metal was an investment into her rugby career and also helped my family through financial difficulties as my husband does not work.”
She added during the COVID-19 pandemic when many businesses were forced to close down, waste pickers suffered financially.
“Apart from COVID-19 we also suffer the stigma that is related to this type of work. People will see us and call us ugly names and sometimes throw their rubbish at us, but I just want to let people know that we do this to earn money for our family and put bread and butter on the table.”
Ms Lewabeka acknowledged Waste Recyclers Fiji Ltd (WRFL) and partners for coming up with the workshop to educate waste pickers on gender and human rights, financial literacy and becoming ambassadors of good waste management in the community.
She was one of 14 women waste pickers who participated in a wellness and literacy program and a week-long workshop facilitated by WRFL in partnership with Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre (FWCC), International Union for Conservation of Nature, Environment Department, Fiji Cancer Society and BSP Financial Group.