A couple residing in the Daloko Settlement in Dreketi braved crossing the Dreketi river in a boat to collect donated food items for residents of the area.

An act that was highly commended by the Assistant Minister for Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management, Jale Sigarara.

Daloko is one of the four settlements in Dreketi that was declared a lockdown area last Thursday after the 17th COVID-19 patient was taken from Vunicagi Settlement in Dreketi to Labasa Hospital.

To cross the river, residents of Daloko use a boat that was donated to them by the Seaqaqa District Office two years ago.

Emi Diabe, 37, and Josateki Lala, 39, said life hadn’t been easy for them since the lockdown because they couldn’t access basic services.

“In this settlement, there are 26 people of five families and we all use one boat to come across to the mainland,” Ms Diabe said.

She said, before, they used to paddle in a small wooden boat to take their children to school.

“Already so many people lost their lives swimming across this deepest river in Fiji,” the mother of four claims.

“What is more important for us now is to move across and get hold of whatever donation is given so that everyone in the settlement can benefit, even if it means risking our lives because we don’t know when this lockdown will be lifted.”

Mr Sigarara, while handing over the food ration, said: “Seeing you cross the river to pick these food rations so that other families can also benefit moved my spirit.

“During this COVID-19 pandemic many don’t think about others or share things.”

Mr Sigarara also thanked the business community in Seaqaqa for their contribution.

The donation was made by Seaqaqa Shopping Centre, Weld IT, Nazia Hire Services and Sawmilling, Maatuk Motors, Ferin’s Investment, Akhtar Hussein, Anwar Ali, Mohammed Imran, Mohammed Ifran, Imran Ali and Mohammed Farid.

Edited by Ivamere Nataro

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