Every struggle his family faced was a motivation that kept Tomasi Tawake going.

Yesterday the 22-year-old from Vanuavou, Vaturova, Vanua Levu was one of the 1184 students that graduated from the University of the South Pacific at the Suva Vodafone Arena.

Dedication

He dedicates his new qualification to his hardworking parents, siblings and family.

“With this degree I want to be an inspiration to my younger siblings so that they achieve better things in life,” Mr Tawake said.

Mr Tawake is the eldest of three and has set a milestone for his younger  siblings to perform better.

“I had seen what my parents had gone through when we did not have food to eat or money to pay fees,” he said.

“They have always made sure that we had the best of everything possible growing up.

“I want my siblings to work much harder than I did so that they achieve better things in life. My bachelor’s degree is a step, an inspiration.

“There were many times when I had almost given up on my studies and life as a whole because there was nothing that was being sorted out for me by my parents.

“But my parents never lost hope on me to do well and I kept that as my motivation. Giving up on my life and studies was never my option when I saw tears in my parents’ eyes.

Edited by Karalaini Waqanidrola

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