18-Year-Old Builds Home From Lease Money

Jekope Tomu had a dream to build a home for his fam­ily.

Today the 18-year-old is thankful to the Govern­ment for allowing those in landowning units to have equal shares.

It was through his share of the lease money he was able to build his three-bedroom, category five standard dream home in Naqai Settlement, Labasa.

Raised by a single mother and his uncle, Mr Tomu was in Year 6 when he decided to leave school and look after his mother who had been involved in a car accident.

His mother had been on a wheelchair when Mr Tomu took on odd jobs to help provide for his family.

Now the teenager who dropped out of primary school is all smiles after being able to build his own house.

Mr Tomu and his older brother were raised by their moth­er and his uncle Ananaisa Benaia who took on the fatherly role and raised the two boys as his own.

Mr Benaia said: “Jekope is like every other child raised by their uncles, he was really close to me and we have faced many challenges together.”

“He attended primary school and in one year he had three different schools- Bethel Primary, Labasa School for Spe­cial Education and Naduna Arya School.

“He left school when he was only in Class (Year) 6 to help look after his mother who had an accident and had to be in a wheelchair,” he said.

Mr Tomu worked in the cane farm and joined the Wheel­barrow Club in Labasa. He would also be seen unloading cargo from trucks at supermarkets.

Family home

At the back of his mind, he wanted to provide a better home for his family.

“I observed my peers when they would get their lease money, they would waste it on alcohol and go on rides or buy cars and then get into an accident and before they re­alise it, their money’s all gone,” he said.

“My uncle asked me when I was 17 years old as to what I was planning to do with my lease money, and I replied that I wanted a house. I wanted a better home for us so that we don’t have to wade in the flood. We live in a flood prone area.”

“I am thankful that he (uncle) is always by my side to en­courage me and correct me when I am wrong.”

He said the dream and plan to build his family home was realised when he turned 18 and in August this year, they began to build their house.

“I am waiting to surprise my mom when she returns from Ba when the borders open next month,” he said.

Mr Benaia and his nephew would like to advise families to utilise their lease money and invest it in building a home that can weather the storms or business that would continue to bring in revenue.

The duo have also started their yaqona farm in Basoga as part of their new Kava business venture.

Edited by Losirene Lacanivalu