Hard work pays off for Ralokuta
THIS time last year, Misiviliame Ralokuta was struggling to come to terms with being told he no longer had a job.
The electronics outlet in Suva City where he worked had come upon hard times because of the COVID-19 outbreak and was forced to shed jobs.
The 44-year-old father of three said he found it hard to accept that he was without work and the first thought that crossed his mind was his family.
“I didn’t know how to go home and tell them that I was unemployed and my biggest fear was not being able to feed and provide for my two daughters and son,” he said.
“But by the time I got home, I made my mind up.
“I told my wife nothing was impossible as long as we trusted in God.”
Mr Ralokuta said he began to clear grass and plant cassava, dalo, plantain and rourou on their yavusa land in Gusuisavu, Naitasiri.
He knew it would take a few months before the crops would mature and all he had to do was survive until then.
“I am so blessed that I live in the village and received a lot of support, especially from two brothers, they made sure our cupboards were never empty.”
Mr Ralokuta said last year’s experience had prepared him well for the outbreak this time around.
“I knew what to do, my farm produced everything my family needed and before the lockdown this year, I was selling cassava, dalo and rourou at the Suva Municipal Market.
“Even during the lockdown, I have received orders for bags of cassava and rourou from vendors in Valelevu, so this has helped my family.”