All mothers wish for nothing but the best for their children.

Talasulu Tuimanua Brown from Samusu, Aleipata, is no exception.

The 65-year-old spoke about her terrifying experience of Tropical Cyclone Gita last weekend, especially when the safety of her grandchildren was at stake. 

The mother of three shared to the Village Voice team that the only thing she was worried about was her children.

She was not worried about their house getting ruined by the strong winds and trees falling down on their house and damaging everything that they own.

“Our bathroom has been ruined by the cyclone and trees fell on our kitchen and ruined it.

“We panicked so much that we did not know where to turn to for safety, I just felt really sorry for my grandchildren but at the same time deeply hopeless.

“My two grandchildren are still very young there is a one-year-old and four-month-year-old-baby. As a grandmother you will not be able to sit still in a cyclone or even sleep. You always have to stay awake no matter how tired you are,” she said.

Having no one employed in a family is definitely a struggle and Mrs. Brown testifies to that because now that TC Gita has hit no one is able to support and help their family financially.

“No one works, it’s just me and my three children and their spouses including my grandchildren. My son has been trying to look for a job, but sadly there has been no luck. So in my family it is my older brother who works in a farm, but we do not live together.”

She says their family does not have water or electricity supply which is an added burden, hence her plea for assistance.

“It feels like this is the season of famine, we don’t have a plantation or any stable jobs where we are able to receive any income from. Just not being able to provide for my loved ones is just very hard to accept.”

Mrs. Brown believes the cost of living attributes to their daily struggle.

“Looking for a discount is really complicated but having no money is the worse of them all. Everything is so costly.”