Hailing from Sataua, Savai’i, Rosemarie Aovai Demi Lesatele received a scholarship from the University of the South Pacific, in partnership with the Yazaki Kizuna Foundation — a gift that, for her, meant more than financial support.

It was a heartfelt gesture of gratitude to her mother, Pekina Lesatele, and grandfather, Tapulesatele Fogaavii Lesatele, just in time for Mother’s Day.

“It was an early birthday present, an early Mother’s Day present,” She told her mother on her 56th birthday.

Born and raised in Savai’i, Rosemarie is completing her final year of law studies while working full-time at the Attorney General’s Office in the Civil Litigation and Opinions Division. She found out about the scholarship last year through USP’s Facebook page, applied, completed an interview, and was later notified of her success.

Her mother and older brother, Patrick Villy Lesatele, who works in Australia, have been her primary financial support throughout her studies.

“They’ve been the main financial support for my school, especially my brother,” she said. “It’s always been a problem throughout the years. This is a great help for my family.”

Pekina, a primary school teacher at Vaimoso Primary School and a 2022 graduate of the National University of Samoa, raised Rosemarie and her siblings as a single mother, all while caring for her elderly father, Tapulesatele.

“I’m a single mother who has raised her,” said Pekina. “I am even looking after my father…so this scholarship, it's a blessing from God. I always thank God for this. It’s a big help for us.

"I’m the only one working here, and also my son. When she got it, I said, ‘Oh, thank you, Lord.’ Now we are happy for this year.”

Rosemarie hopes her journey can inspire others from Savai’i. “I want to be the one to inspire kids from my village that they can do better. The sky is the limit,” she said.

When asked why she decided to take law, her reply was, “I want justice for people because they deserve it. No one is above the law.”