Young mother-to-be breaks barriers in marine engineering

At eight months pregnant, while many would have chosen to rest, Joana Dreunimolea walked across the graduation stage determined to complete the dream she refused to give up on.

The young woman from Navola Baravi in Nadroga, with maternal links to Noikoro in Navosa, graduated with a Diploma in Marine Engineering from Fiji National University — becoming the first person in her family to earn a tertiary qualification.

Her journey to graduation was filled with sacrifice, endurance and personal challenges.

“It is only endurance in taking that can eventually reach the place I have reached today,” she said during her graduation ceremony.

Balancing assignments, studies and the physical demands of pregnancy tested her strength throughout the programme.

“Being eight months pregnant is not an easy thing, but it takes sacrifice and belief in God,” she said.

Despite the difficulties, Ms Dreunimolea remained determined to finish what she started.

Her achievement carried deep meaning for her family.

“I’m the first one in the family to graduate,” she said proudly.

She said her passion for marine engineering came from a lifelong dream to travel and experience the world beyond Fiji.

“I always wanted to travel around the world, visit new countries and learn new cultures,” she said.

Now a graduate, Ms Dreunimolea hopes her story encourages other young women facing hardships to continue believing in themselves.

“My advice to young women is not to be discouraged nothing is impossible, it just takes prayer and patience,” Ms Dreunimolea said.

She dedicated her achievement to her late brother, whom she described as one of her greatest motivations throughout her studies.

Her story is one of resilience, faith and determination — proving that even during life’s most demanding moments, dreams can still be achieved.