Making and selling fa’alifu is a job

By Aruna Lolani 26 May 2017, 12:00AM

Employment is not just about getting a job at a company. 

It’s about using the skills you already have to make a living.

Speaking to the Village Voice yesterday, Esikia Uimaitua from Afega said it is all about turning your given skills into something that can support your family financially.

“Nowadays, it’s not about getting only fancy jobs; it’s about using your common sense to put whatever skills you have into good use so you can make money for the family,” he said.

“I sell fa’alifu taro every day and I consider that as a job. It’s my job because my hands are moving around, doing all the work.

“It’s not easy but it pays the water and electricity bills, this money is all for family support, it goes to my children for food, for school, for church and village obligations.”

Mr.Uimaitua went on about his daily work routine saying “we don’t have a plantation so I always buy a basket of taro from the market every day to make fa’alifu taro.

“I always buy the ones that are around $20 so I can make more fa’alifu from it.

“So it’s a case of, ‘a basket of taro a day’ and I think it’s a very fair deal because I get about $70 to $80 a day if I sell all of my fa’alifu.

“That’s about $400 a week and that’s enough money for me to take care and support the needs of my family especially my children.

Mr.Uimaitua is a father to four children; two of them are attending Afega Primary School.

“I’ve been doing this for (6) six years and I don’t mind if I get to do this for the rest of my life as long as I have something to do to support my family.

He added on “so for those of you out there that are worried about not having jobs or find it hard to find jobs, if you have a talent or good at doing something, use the time to make something useful out of it, but don’t just wait around for job opportunities to come your way.

“Because what matters at the end of the day; is knowing that you are doing something important for your community, your family especially for yourself.”

By Aruna Lolani 26 May 2017, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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