Pre-Easter Earnings Lighten Mum’s Burdens
Family is everything for Kesaia Lolou as she plans to celebrate Easter with her family in Kalabu. Mrs Lolou a market vendor at the Suva Municipal Market funds her daughter’s tertiary educational needs through her earnings from the market.
She said while there were days of less income, the long Easter weekend is the much-anticipated time of the year for her.
The 53-year-old had only started selling at the Suva Municipal Market in July 2020, selling ginger, carrots, lemon, chilies, and taro leaves. The income has also helped in paying for her family’s needs.
“Easter is a yearly event in the Christian calendar that symbolises the crucifixion of Jesus who died for our sins on the cross. As a Christian, it is a time for us to come together as a family, to pray, repent and ask the good Lord to guide us in our direction to living a Christian life,” she said.
Mrs Lolou who is from Bau, Tailevu shared similar sentiments of business being slow because of COVID-19. She said while market vendors were trying to make ends meet daily, they are optimistic that business will slowly catch up.
“We try to earn enough from what we sell, lately I have noticed that taro leaves (rourou) sell out by the end of the day. With Easter, families too look for taro leaves for making their lovo so this vegetable is selling quickly this week,” she said.
Mrs Lolou belongs to the Methodist church and hopes to share the Easter spirit with her family.