Father shares of family struggles

By Nefertiti Matatia 28 January 2018, 12:00AM

For 10 years, Vaisaaga Ioane from Vailuutai continues to struggle without any water connection. The father of two says their tap water was disconnected in 2008 because they could not pay their outstanding bill. 

The 53-year-old says this is a challenge his family faces.

“I have tried to reason with the Samoa Water Authority if they could give me a discount because our bill is $2,700 is a significant amount. “I don’t know where to get that kind of money and that does not include the $70 reconnection fee,” he said.

Being the breadwinner for his family and having no water supply is a great burden for him. 

He says they pay their neighbour in order to get water for daily usage.

Mr. Ioane is the only employed person, his salary is $200 a week. 

According to him, his wages is not enough to cater for his family’s needs, especially his children’s school fees. 

“I work at the airport and I only rest on Sundays. Both my children are in school and their education is another thing I will have to focus on, especially with money, and that is excluding the groceries that we have to buy, the bills that need paying and many other commitments,” he added.

The Village Voice team met him walking to his plantation.

Saturday is the only day he gets to visit his plantation to harvest crops to sell.

He says there’s a huge difference with working and living overseas and Samoa.

“Life is hard here in Samoa. I have lived in New Zealand for a while because of work and the way I look at it, I made more money living there compared to here. Doing carpentry work overseas I would receive about $2,000 a week, it is only when they will need me again then I will go back,” he said, 

For anyone who is eager to help Mr. Ioane’s family, contact the number 7286538.

By Nefertiti Matatia 28 January 2018, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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