Alitia Purses Dream to be a Ship Captain

When Alitia Gloria Vunisa saw that her family was facing financial constraints she decided to drop out of school.

But, that didn’t stop Alitia’s dream of one day becoming the captain of a ship.

On Friday, she took a step closer to her dream by completing the Deck Hand Fishing Certificate and the Basic Sea Safety-Fishing Vessels Certificate from Fiji National University.

The 18-year-old hails from Barotu Village in Savusavu, Ra, with maternal links to Nakorotubu Village, Ra. She is the fourth eldest of eight siblings.

“I dropped out of school when I was in Year 11, during the first term, due to financial reasons. I saw this programme on Facebook and decided to join. My parents used to take me out to sea and my love for the sea grew,” Alitia said.

“My parents are both security guards and I know the struggles they go through. I am thankful to them for their encouragement. I am looking forward to taking the second stage of this course.”

Alitia emphasised the importance of never giving up when things get tough.

“This is where I will start my career. My end goal is to one day be a sea captain, and I know I can do it,” the Ra native said.

Feedback: wati.talebula@fijisun.com.fj