The fighting spirit of a family at Fasito'o-uta who have been experiencing water issues for many years is admirable.

On top of the water struggles, they also face financial challenges and with the lack of job opportunities.

The family of Iliui Pita does not have access to running water. They survive on four buckets of water a day which her son-in-law and grandson are tasked to fetch from families nearby who have water.

Iliui lives in a Samoan fale. The floor is not cemented, it is made up of rocks.

The 54-year-old’s home is located far from the main road along the northwest coast of Upolu island, which is a big part of the challenges.

But she says they do the best they can.

“Our daily struggle is finding water," she said.

"We have different things we need water for and that is why we struggle."

The mother of five has an eleven-year-old grandson. She is worried about him.

“Water is important and greatly needed for any family because it has so many uses.

“I am concerned about the well-being of my grandson because last year, he had an operation due a problem with his kidneys.

“The operation led to us stopping him from attending school because he needed to recover. We hope this year; he is able to attend school again.”

She added that the lack of water makes it harder to care for her grandson.

“I had to prepare his meals but there was not enough water. I am old and do not have the strength I used to have.

“We never had any access to water for more than ten years. We have been dependent on rain water or our villagers who had water. 

“But in all honesty it requires more than $500 for water connection, new pipes and road works yet we do not have the financial support to pay for it.”

The elderly mother added that only one family member has a part-time job.

He gets $25 a day as a farm hand and works twice a week.

“If we are fortunate, we can get a $100 a week to pay for expenses such as food supplies and electricity but we also have church and village commitments.

“We also sell some of our crops such as bananas, taro or cucumbers to make a living and it also helps us get by daily.

“We also worry about the situation of our home during the cyclone season, we pray that Samoa is not affected by any cyclones because our home is vulnerable and will be easily destroyed.”

If you are willing to help the family of Ms. Pita please contact the number: 7746691.