Meet Upuese Talapusi of Salamumu.

A 24-year-old farmer strives for the best and works hard for his family.

Upuese became a farmer when his father passed away a few years ago.

He is now responsible for taking care of his family of nine.

“I used to work at Saletoga Sands Resort but when my father passed; I felt that it was my duty to stay home and take care of my family especially my mother.”

“My father was a farmer and he has so much love for farming and all the nature around us so now I’m following his footsteps and keep what he loves alive.”

“He left a huge part of his work to me; his vegetables patch, his plantation of taro, yams, bananas. He has also been working on his cattle farm, his chickens and pigs. All those things that he used to do; I am now doing it.”

Upuese said what his father has left him is all he has and he plans to continue on developing it and earn a living from it so he can provide for his family.

“Being a farmer is not easy work but I love it because it’s a job that I can do and at the same time; have my own freedom. I can rest whenever I want to right?”

“And if it provides food for the family; then that’s your contribution into supporting the life that your family has right now.”

“Everyone has their own role to play; my sister works at a resort and her husband has a taxi.”

“I believe that in this day and age; we shouldn’t be too picky with the jobs we have or the ones we get because the reality in Samoa nowadays is that; there are not enough jobs for a whole lot of people out there that need jobs.”