The idiom, don’t put all your eggs in one basket, exemplifies Teresia Sisilia’s ambitious plans to sustain her family.

The mother of six boys is exploring many avenues to help sustain her family and she’s determined to do it by diversifying her home-based business.

Not only is she into poultry and floriculture, she’s now decided to move into kava farming.

She’s managed to put one of her children through university, who is now a health inspector, another who wants to do land surveying. Three of her boys are still in primary school, while her second eldest is a kava farmer in Taveuni.

The newly-opened Koronivia Smart Nursery has given her that opportunity.

She was one of the pioneering recipients of kava seedlings this week.

The nursery was opened by the Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama and was funded by the Canadian government.

“I am grateful and indebted to the Ministry of Agriculture to be one of the first recipients of the seedlings from the nursery,”Ms Sisilia said.

Beginnings

She is an exemplary entrepreneur who began her journey when she accessed a $1000 grant in 2020, thanks to Government’s Micro and Small Business Grant.

Through this grant she was able to start her poultry farm.

The farm began with only two pigs and increased to 13 pigs. The drove includes a hybrid dixon and three sows, all of which will expect piglets this month.

The Sawani-based entrepreneur also developed her flower arrangement skills and attended training at Fiji National University and is ready to conduct training for women in the aim to alleviate poverty.

Ms Sisilia said this business was thriving in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic catering to small functions.

“I don’t believe in poverty because women can utilise their time and skills in earning some income to provide for their families,”Ms Sisilia said.

“I began kava farming three years ago and the result has been rewarding.

“I was able to assist my husband in the maintenance of our family home in Naitasiri.”

She grew up in Nawi, Buca Bay, Cakaudrove.

Her family heavily depended on kava farming and using that experience she ventured on her own.

“I am faced with a lot of challenges as the only woman planting kava in Sawani and was not successful as it was during the Covid-19 pandemic,” she said.

“This time around I want finance my son’s tertiary tuition because he wants to go into Land Surveying.

“I will ensure that all the necessary requirements are met to expand the kava farm as currently I have less than an acre but will surely expand the kava farm.”

The entrepreneur is optimistic that women can do anything if they put their mind to it.

And this ambitious subsistence farmer is hoping that trainings and more assistance as such will eventually help her go commercial