Working hard even in old age

By Vatapuia Maiava 14 September 2016, 12:00AM

Struggles can be defined as a 60-year-old lady who feels obligated to work the plantation to take some weight off of her hard working fisherman husband’s shoulders.

Aged 60, Lagi Iuta from the village of Vailele lives a tough life.

Her husband spends a whole week out at sea leaving her and her young child at home alone so she works hard to do her part in the family.

“Right now the only person in the family with a job is my husband,” she explained to the Village Voice yesterday.

“He is a fisherman and I haven’t seen him for a whole week since he left for sea. He’s a very hard worker but it’s not easy for us.”

The family also have no access to water at home.

“For my family you can see that there are no water pipes,” Lagi said.

“We are forced to go and get water from the stream down the hill every day of our lives. It is not an easy task at all.”

“If I were to ask for one thing, I would ask for a water tank. We can then store rain water to drink, shower and for washing purposes.”

“It is a big hassle for my little family. Especially because it is just me, my young child and my husband. So when my husband is gone out to sea I have to fetch water from the stream everyday.”

 Lagi also tends to her plantation to help put food on the table.

“I try and do my part in the family by working the land,” she said.

“I may be old but I guess the family needs to work together and my work in the plantation will take some weight off of my husband’s shoulders.”

“My husband leaves every Monday and he gets his pay on Friday.”

And with the lack of water availability, one would think that rain would be a blessing but instead, it also causes the family a bit of trouble.

“When it rains my roof leaks everywhere,” Lagi said.

“We need a tarpaulin and tins for the roofing. We need a lot of things but I guess there is just  not enough money for us to get any of it. “

By Vatapuia Maiava 14 September 2016, 12:00AM
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