Family of 10 stretches $20 weekly budget

By Fetalai Tuilulu’u 22 March 2017, 12:00AM

Life on the streets every day is not easy.

Ask Losa Afomū and she will tell you all about it.

She and her children pound the pavements every day to sell stuff for a living.

“With $20 to stretch a week for a family of ten, this is a major problem,” she said. 

The mother says hardship in Samoa is real. 

“I have eight children and five of them are in school,” said Losa. 

“The main problem we have is not having enough money. We always struggle to find money to raise and to feed my children. So we resort to selling products on the streets.”

“Every day after school my daughter and I hit the road to earn money for the next day.”   

Losa said her family simply cannot afford the cost of living these days.

 “You know with the $20 we earn, we really struggle to stretch that small amount of money so it can cover the whole week.” 

 “I have eight children, they need to go to school, it is also our responsibility to feed them too.” 

“The land we live on is only space for a small house, we don’t have space for a plantation.”

Losa said her children help her out.

“My children take turn to help me out. Right after school we hit the road and whatever money we make, we will accept.”

 “Sometimes I cry looking at the way my children are living. I hope they grow up to find a better life.”

By Fetalai Tuilulu’u 22 March 2017, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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