All thanks to the plantation

By Aruna Lolani 15 July 2017, 12:00AM

The key to all good things is to work hard with your own two hands. 

Speaking to the Village Voice team, Semi Faleula said it’s the only tool to make your plantation life profitable. 

“I own the biggest plantation here in Malie, but the funny thing is I work alone to tend it,” he said. 

“Its huge! Like the airport land,” Semi laughed. 

“The plantation is a big help to me and my family. 

“I don’t struggle or worry about anything at all because the plantation provides it all for us. 

“There is no such word as poverty. We eat well, we have enough and we live a free life all because of the plantation. 

 “Some farmers, they don’t take the plantation seriously that’s how I’ve seen it nowadays. They only go up there to enjoy the air and have a good sleep and when it’s evening then they go back to their homes. 

“That’s when they decide to steal others’ crops because they didn’t do anything good to their lands. 

“To be honest, everyone in my village thinks I pay people to come and work at my plantation, because if you see it, it’s 1.3 acre plantation. 

“But I work alone. The reason why I don’t want anyone else to work with is because not only do I have to pay them but if they don’t work hard to meet the objectives that I set then I will have a loss. 

They are paid but the work they do may not satisfy my work requirements. 

“That is why I work alone because if I don’t get to meet my work requirements at least it’s a small loss. 

The father of one went on to say he makes up to $400 a week. 

“Yes that’s the smallest amount I earn about a week,” he said. 

“For me, if you don’t have a plantation and you don’t work, then it’s a disaster because then you don’t know what to rely on. 

“But I’m thankful that I have this because without this, I’d have nothing to give.” 

“It feels like I own a car rental and a mansion right now because my family has everything we want all because of hard work.

“I’ve been a farmer for a very long time, I don’t get tired of it because I’m used to the sweetness of hard work paying off. 

But realistically speaking, from the money Semu makes, half of it is given as a donation to the church. I’m a Seventh Day Adventist and we give a donation whenever we have church. 

“The work we do always goes back to the fact that God is our strength, without his support and blessing we wouldn’t be this happy.” 

By Aruna Lolani 15 July 2017, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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