It’s dawa time in the market
FOR Asinate Mekevakatoga, 34, and some of her relatives, the Suva market has become a home away from home as they spend alot of time there.
As third generation vendors, one can imagine how it feels carrying on such a family tradition of hard work to earn an income for their family.
Asinate was one of the few vendors at the Suva Market selling dawa (longan) last week.
Dawa is a kind of tropical fruit that is seasonal around this time of the year.
The taste of this fruit is a combination between longan and lychee.
Asinate hails from Koro and resides in Raiwaqa.
She has been a vendor for more than 17 years selling a wide range of fruits.
"Dawa is one of the most popular fruits in Fiji and people love it," she said.
"A lot of people love dawa because you will find it once in a while, once in a year,"
She sells a heap of dawa for $5. Initially Asinate pursued an education to join the hospitality industry but since taking the reigns in being a market vendor, she has received many benefits for her and her family.
She is the sole breadwinner in her family and goes to the market six days a week.
Asinate takes a day off on Sundays to rest.
She stressed the importance of working hard or as she says, 'hustling.'
"Its better to hustle rather than steal and do other stuff." Being a successful vendor has brought about many benefits for her family.
This includes paying her rent and paying her bills, she said.
For the past few years, she has operated as a middleman buying produce from suppliers around Viti Levu and from their villagers and the Suva market has become the hub for selling these produce.
"We have more than 40 stalls in the area here and we are all related,"
She said, since spending so much time at the market helping their parents sell various items, they have considered it their home.
"This is like our first home because we spend a lot of time here just like what normal working people do or government workers.
"This year will be tough for us because there are a lot of things coming up."
She said the increasing cost of rent was some of the things she had to prepare herself for.
Asinate said she also saved her money for the rainy days or if there was an emergency.
"It is important to save for tough times like if there is a hurricane or anything that suddenly occurs," she said.
"You will need that savings to help you in those times."
Last week Asinate sold a wide range of fresh produce which included coconuts, carrots, rourou, tavioka, dalo, fruits, chillies, lemons, long beans and more.