A 45-year-old from Nasarawaqa, Bua and mother of three Ms Hakiman now resides in Labasa and sells vegetables to fund her children’s education.

She told the Fiji Sun at her stall at the Labasa Market that her husband had left them so they moved from Nasarawaqa to Labasa for her children’s education.

According to Ms Bi her two daughters, Mahezadeen Nisha and Zubin Nisha were now working.

“My eldest daughter is an accountant and second daughter is a nurse,” she said.

She said her son Mohammed Riyaz was doing his foundation studies at the Fiji National University.

Ms Bi said she paid all her children’s education up to the Foundation Level and from then on the two daughters’ were awarded scholarships to further their studies.

With the two daughters now working, she was looking after his son.

She has been a market vendor for `15 years.

Her work at the market starts at 7am as this is the time when she buys vegetables from farmers.

Business at the market closes at 5.30pm.

Ms Bi admitted that she had struggled in the past 15 years but was glad that she had been rewarded with the two daughters finding good jobs.

She said her son Riyaz was doing well in his studies and hoped she would be following her sister’s footprints.

On the price of vegetables she said there was a change after Cyclone Winston and had been fluctuating ever since.

“I have no choice as I have to buy and sell at the same rate or a little bit higher to accommodate my daily expenses.”

She said at the end of the day she was able to make a $50 profit.

Ms Bi said she was her own boss and her advice to other market vendors selling vegetables at the Labasa to always sell fresh vegetables.