Life is hard for Pepe Reupena Fana, from Aleisa.

Living in a shack and having no consistent water supply, including no proper toilet are her daily struggles.

Mrs. Fana is unemployed and has five children. She lost her eldest child, who was sick in October last year and four now live with her. 

This, according to her, was because they didn’t have enough to provide for her ailing daughter. 

Until this day, she still wishes there could have been something done differently to change her family’s situation.

Being a florist could not provide everything for her daughter’s situation. 

“It was a lesson learnt when my daughter passed away that having a pit toilet was not good, no house or space to shower, a rundown shack and poor water supply.”

“Life is hard. I have lost one, but I still have the other four who I need to be raised properly. As a mother, it is painful to bury your own child,” said the 47-year-old.

She explained: “We have a water tank but we need money to pay the people who usually come here and fill it up. It would cost us a $100 and for me that is a lot of money.”

“I only make $100 a week, but it depends on how many sunflowers, spiders, daises that I could sell. With that money, I usually spend it on my children, in terms of their bus fares and things like that.”

“I really need help.”

Mrs. Fana says all her four children attend school. Life has been tough and every day is a struggle with the kind of shelter they live in.

“We have problems with the house that we live in and it is not suitable for daughters who are growing up.” 

But nothing can be done because of financial constraints.

“I had to buy nappies for my daughter who passed away and it was a challenge to take her to the toilet. There was no walkway to help her go.”

“Even if I had to take her for a shower, it was hard, especially moving her from one spot to the other. She was a big girl.”

“Back in the days when Yazaki was still open, I worked there while I was pregnant with my daughter. She was born crippled.”

“She attended Loto Taumafai. In 2000 we took her for an operation and the doctor said she needed an operation, but if she didn’t, she would still die.”

“I am thankful for those 18 years I was able to raise her in my arms.”

Anyone who is willing to help Mrs. Fana, contact the number 7790221.