Virlesh Anand says selling sweets is better than selling drugs. He has encouraged youths to go into business to make an honest living.

The 38-year-old has been selling sweets at his stall since he was only 12 years old.

Mr Anand said operating his stall had allowed him to put three of his children through school and cater for his family expenses.

“It was my father’s business and he had been here for 30 years before I took over and continued selling for him and we expanded to providing sweets for weddings,” he said.

He sells beans, peanuts, barafi, jalebi lakari, ladoo, gulab jamun, bhaji and other assorted sweets and snacks at his stall.

“Sometimes we have days when business is slow and I make around $100, but on a good week, we can make around $400. Our busiest days are Friday and Saturday, especially, and when students come after school to buy our snacks and during festivals, “he said.

He said youths needed to explore the benefits of income generation by developing business ventures.

“I think more young people should be going into business rather than being in the streets selling drugs. If you want money you have to work hard even though nowadays the Government is helping, but that doesn’t mean you have to slack off,” he said.

“Even in the mornings I see some people receiving food packs from trucks and I have observed that they are fit enough to work like cut sugarcane to earn money, but they have become reliant on assistance or just sit in town and beg.”

Mr Anand’s uncle Kamal Sharma said he was proud to assist his nephew each day.

“We all have our problems, but that does not mean that you have to use that as an excuse to be lazy. I work a part-time job at a pineapple farm in Paipai, Vitogo near where I stay and cut cane sometimes,” he said.

Mr Sharma chose to focus on being positive.

Edited by Susana Tuilau

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