Mother desperate for better home

By Joyetter Feagaimaali’i-Luamanu 22 February 2018, 12:00AM

When your live an unfortunate life, you are grateful for all the little blessings that comes your way. 

That is how Asofa Uoli tackles each day. She told the Samoa Observer her one wish is a proper home for her six children. 

“As you can see, our house is not much, the roofing is covered with laufala leaves and other parts with iron, but this is my humble home,” she said.

The floor is not cemented.

It is made up of rocks from around the area.

“These are the only things available, given my situation as we are poor,” said Mrs. Uoli. 

The mother of six said her husband is the only breadwinner of the family. 

“He works on a farm and brings home $80 weekly."

With her positive attitude, Mrs. Uoli said they have banana and breadfruit for dinner most days, unless they can afford tinned fish. They make gravy or soup.

“At times we tend to just have bananas and tea for dinner and my children used to nag about it, but now not so much. 

"I guess when this is dinner most days, they can’t complain but eat what is given to them,” she said. 

They put carpet to cover the floor. 

“We just place sheets on the carpet and the kids sleep on it, it’s not leveled, it is bumpy but what can we do when we can’t afford to purchase cement for the floor,” she said. 

Mrs. Uoli said growing up poor, while difficult, is always a good lesson for your children.  

“They don’t take anything for granted and they don’t ask for things they know their father cannot afford. 

“My eldest who is 12 years old has been using the same school bag for the past four years, when it’s ripped I sew it up and it’s good to go, like brand new,” she said smiling. 

This family does not have a toilet and they use their neighbor’s restroom during the day but in the evenings, they take care of their business in the nearby bushes. 

“As embarrassing as it is, I am honest with you that our family does not have a toilet. 

“This is our shower, but we don’t have a toilet as we cannot afford it. 

“We do however use our neighbor’s toilet during the day,” she said. 

According to Asofa, the reason she refuses to have a pit toilet is because of the foul odor and other bacteria that emanate from such restroom. 

“As you can see, there is a hole dug up by my husband two years ago saying that we would save money for a toilet, that was two years ago and the delay is because we just don’t have the finances for a toilet.

 “We use rain water, I mean we do have running water from the Government but because we have to boil it in case of any bacteria, I opted to wait on the rain for water, for drinking and cooking,” said Asofa. 

If you want to help Asofa, you can reach her at 727-5208.

By Joyetter Feagaimaali’i-Luamanu 22 February 2018, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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