Lasike counts her blessing on becoming a Lawyer
Becoming a lawyer is my biggest blessing. These were the words of Timaima Lasike of Sawana, Vanuabalavu in the Lau Province who was among University of Fiji students admitted to the bar yesterday.
She is the youngest of seven siblings and spent her childhood in Sawana Village.
As a young child, she had watched her siblings and other village kids move to Suva to pursue their studies, but it never dawned on her that one day she would be a city kid too. Ms Lasike lost her father in 2013 and her whole life changed.
“I was sent to Nadi to stay with my oldest sister Ofa, who looked after me from then till today,” Ms Lasike said.
“I attended my secondary school years in Nadi Sangam till I moved to Suva in 2017 to start university. My sister and I moved in with my cousin Lemeki Pai and his family and I have stayed with them since.
“He also became a father figure and took care of me.
“In 2017, I started at the University of the South Pacific. Where I completed my first year of law; however, due to personal reasons, I had to switch schools in 2018 and continued my law studies in the Fiji National University.
“During, the same year I lost my mother while who was living in the village.
“I wasn’t able to attend her funeral, but I remember heading to school that day; thinking of how I had now lost both my parents and it hurt a lot, but I thank the Lord for motivating me to aim higher.
“Fast forward to 2022, I graduated with my law degree from the Fiji National University.
“I was later enrolled in the University of Fiji to start my graduate diploma in legal practice where I also completed the programme earlier this year.
“All I can say is God’s plans for me were far bigger than I had imagined. “All the trials I encountered made it hard for me to dream big, but the Lord almighty surely proved me wrong.
“His plans for me are now my biggest testimonies of how he took my life and turned it around to where I am today,” Ms Lasike said.
She is thankful to God and her sister Ofa for being her biggest supporter and the Pai family and her extended families for their support.