From hotel job to handicraft success

When COVID-19 shut down Fiji's hotels in 2020, Makereta Takayawa lost her job in food and beverage. Instead of waiting, she called her cousin in the village and asked to be taught how to weave mats.

That decision changed her life.

Today, the 33-year-old runs Matavuvale Creations from home — a handicraft business with more than 30,000 Facebook followers — selling woven mats, bags, purses, earrings and accessories, all marketed online.

"I started with my own money while saving," Ms Takayawa said.

"I didn't get any government help because I didn't know."

She is from Yadrana, Lakeba, Lau, and is based in Suva. Having worked across several hotels including the Grand Pacific Hotel, she never imagined a village skill taught over the phone during a pandemic would become her livelihood.

Ms Takayawa was among about 25 small business owners who received certificates on Thursday after completing the Ministry of Commerce and Business Development's three-day Start and Improve Your Business training at the Civic Tower Building in Suva.

She said the programme helped her understand how to budget, promote her products and grow her customer base — things she had been figuring out on her own since 2023.

From left: Entrepreneur Makereta Takayawa and MSME Chief Business Advisor Phinaisi Liao during the certificate presentation ceremony at the Civic Tower Building in Suva on March 5, 2026.

Photo: Ronald Kumar

Now as she is managing her own business, she said things were finally running smoothly. Her next goal is to apply for government grants to expand.

"I'm trying myself to apply on the five grants that are coming up," she said.

Her advice to other women thinking about starting a business was simple.

"Just believe in yourself and don't give up," she said. "The people that keep me moving is my family."

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