Mother remains optimistic even without electricity, running water

By Aruna Lolani 21 June 2017, 12:00AM

These days, electricity and water are considered the basic necessities.

Without such, life can become quite challenging.

Welcome to Olive Taufi from Mulifanua’s reality.

Aged 69, Taufi lives inland of Mulifanua. This is part of her problem. 

 “I don’t have a fancy job like other mothers but honestly, being a mother is hard work,” she tells the Village Voice.

“But it’s an amazing job because I get to be with my children and watch them grow up each day. I’ve got two children; one is currently working and the other one stays home with me.” 

Her son is the family’s bread winner.

“My son works but I’m a farmer and I sell taros from my plantation around our village to get money for our family.”

“It’s enough to get us by each day even though the cost of living is very expensive. It’s good for those who are working but not for all of us which is why we buy only what we can afford.”

“We use that money for food and our family requirements.”

“Life for us has been really good and we are blessed.”

But she would love to access electricity and running water.

“Where we live is far-inland and we have no electricity or running water,” she said. 

“We’ve had to live for so long without water but a family who saw our struggles fetching water every day, felt the need to help us and they did, through letting us fetch water from their tap.” 

“We can’t get our own tap yet because the pipelines doesn’t reach our land but we have requested help with the Samoa Water Authority and they said they will look into it.”

As for electricity, she said they are okay with kerosene lamps at night.

“Other than that, we are blessed.”

By Aruna Lolani 21 June 2017, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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