Three children, whose parents could not afford to send them to school, have finally received assistance from a group of ‘Good Samaritans’.

Ashlin Lata, 8, Simran Lata, 5, and Vishal Kumar, 10, of Malawai-bila, Votualevu, just outside Nadi Town, are the three fortunate recipients. Vishal had dropped out of school in 2018, but is now willing to return to classes.

Lack of money and not having a birth certificate made life difficult for the siblings to get an education. Now, they have been assisted by a Nadi-based counsellor, Mohenesh Singh, who is the point of contact for the siblings and the family.

Mother of six, Saroj Lata, 40, said they don’t have land or a house of their own.

“My husband is the only breadwinner, currently working as a sugarcane labourer. His employer has allowed us to stay at their farmhouse,” she said.

The extended family of 10 lives just two kilometres away from their previous home at Valenimasima.

“Unfortunately, our home was damaged during Tropical Cyclone Winston and we could not rebuild it,” Ms Lata said.

“It has been hard for us to choose to send our children or to rebuild our house. I would like to thank the group of friends who have assisted us.”

Last month, Mr Singh and a group of friends visited the family and presented them with food supplies.

“I could see the kind of poverty the family is living in,” Mr Singh said.

“Education is the only tool we have to fight poverty. It is fortunate that we live in a country like Fiji where the Government has a free education programme, and this was one of the plus points to get these children to school.”

Mr Singh and Ms Lata are having discussions with a school nearby for the children to get admission.

Edited by Naisa Koroi

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