Man sells coconuts in bid to get water

By Aruna Lolani 01 June 2017, 12:00AM

When you have everything, be thankful.

Because some people are still struggling to get that one key element of life; water.

Speaking to the Village Voice, Umili Faitala said he doesn’t want to live a life without water forever.

The 59-year-old is still trying his best to have the energy to go to the plantation everyday to get whatever he can to sell.

“We have pipelines right infront of the roads of the area where we stay but we don’t have access to water yet,” he said.

“We need to be able to pay $200 to make that happen and that is why you see me with these coconuts.

“I’m trying my best to sell and save money at the same time for water.

“It’s hard to save up because we need to eat as well but I’m still trying.

“You know, there’s a lot of people selling different kind of crops nowadays so most of the time I only get enough money for a day. That leaves no money for saving.

Umili stays with his cousin and both of them are unemployed. 

“Right now, we’re still surviving on water we were able to save and store from the last time it rained; which was last week. 

“But if we run out, then we try our best to humbly ask our neighbors to use their water.

“I understand sometimes when some families complain about us because I know, they are paying for their water and it’s what we should do as well if we want water.

“I know we’re being unfair to them so hopefully we will be able to save up to this amount needed for our own water one day.

Umili went on “if it wasn’t for some of our neighbors and the rain that makes this easier for us sometimes, I don’t think we would have water at all.”

By Aruna Lolani 01 June 2017, 12:00AM

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