Caregiver at 13, Fulori still tops her class as Year 8 dux

Fulori Diraboki, 13, has risen above all odds to achieve something extraordinary.

Despite a life filled with challenges and sacrifices, Fulori’s determination and the love for her mother propelled her to become the Year 8 Dux at Dravo District School.

Her story is one of resilience, selflessness, and an unbreakable bond between mother and daughter.

Fulori hails from Wainika, Tawake in Cakaudrove, she attended Naduna Arya Pathshala School outside Labasa from year one to year seven.

However, this year, her journey took an unexpected turn when her mother’s condition who has been in Suva after falling ill four
years ago became serious.

Her mother, Timaleti Droceva, has been bedridden for the past four years due to a spinal condition that has left her unable to sit or walk.

Fulori’s older siblings, who were initially supposed to travel to Suva, to look after their sick mother and study at Bau District School, were impossible, as their subject combinations could not be
met here.

She is number three out of five siblings.

The responsibility fell on Fulori, and her life as a young girl was forever changed.

“My two older siblings were supposed to come instead of me to come and study in Bau District SchooL,” Fulori said.

“But they couldn’t come over because their subject combination were not offered here, they had to stay back in Labasa with my dad
as I came here,” she said.

“My daily morning routine would be to bathe my sick mom, clean the house, cook her lunch and prepare my school lunch too before I leave for school.”

Despite the overwhelming responsibilities at home, Fulori remained committed to her education.

“I have always had the determination to be the first in my class, despite the odds.

“Evening classes, holiday classes, afternoon classes were an opportune time for me to catch up on my studies. I was always weak in maths but that was not a deterrence for me, we helped each other as a class.

“My mom always told me to get past year papers, and we would solve maths problems together here at home.

“I have always been told that whoever was first in the class would always be first in past years and there was no sense of competition.

“I’m glad that I had changed that when I came to Dravo this year, and everyone had the urgency to perform.

“I was happy when I came first in the annual exam and also topped the school on FY8E.”

INSPIRATION

My biggest inspiration in this journey is my mother, an emotional Fulori said.

“She is the push factor that keeps me grounded, making sure that despite our limited resources and the extra work I must do
each day, I keep going,” she said.

“Despite her sickness, she pushes me, despite the challenges we face daily, she motivates me to never let our situation dampen my spirits.

“She encourages me daily to be a strong young woman that will weather all storms life throws at me.

“She would usually talk about the days she and her siblings would go to school, their challenges daily and one thing she would remind us of was to rise above that and change the situation for my family.”

She said she takes on her responsibilities out of love.

“When Na was in Labasa, this sickness wasn’t really this worse until we moved here, now she must constantly change and so many clothes to wear.

“So, I must be doing the washing constantly, it’s always handwashing for me.

“We were challenged daily by our teachers to do good and push beyond our limits, that kept me going.”

PRAYER REQUEST

She spoke about a special prayer request she and her mother committed to earlier this year.

“In term 3 our teacher made us write a prayer list on a piece of paper so that we could be praying on it constantly.

“I came home that day, and I wrote it in a piece of paper. On top of my list was to be the Dux of the school this year.

“The annual examination and the Year 8 Examination came and went; I achieved what me and my sick mother constantly worked and prayed hard for daily. I thank my Mother, even though she is bedridden, even though she cannot sit up, she helps me with my revision work and studies day in and day out without fail.”

Young Fulori challenged you men and women still in school to stay focused despite their circumstances.

“I did not have it altogether, but I did not let my situation define who I am and what I can achieve, if I can do it anyone else can.”

A MOTHER’S LOVE

Her mother, watching her daughter’s strength from her bed, was deeply moved.

“Though emotional, I am always proud of her all that she has managed to achieve despite our situation. It has never been easy, but it has been God all along,” Ms Droceva said.

“Some nights it has been difficult because some nights when I am in pain, she would be up massaging me until I fall off to sleep,” she said.

“Sometimes I would hide that I am in pain or going through a hard time because I sometimes I see the look of tiredness in her face.

“Sometimes I pray and ask God for his strength upon her daily. Every day I marvel at things she would do; she did everything without complaint.”

Through it all, Fulori’s teachers remained unaware of the challenges she faced at home.

“Some nights at 9pm Fulori would be handwashing outside, I would tell her that she should rest but she would tell me to sleep and that she would rest, and her washing was done.

“She would be studying some nights and sometimes when I wake up and look at her, she would be sleeping face down on her books.

“Sometimes she would leave home at 8.30am and at time she would leave at 9 or slightly after 9. Sometimes she would miss the bus so she would start walking to school which is approximately a 10–15-minute walk.

“She came home one afternoon and told me that her schoolteacher has been asking why she kept coming late to school. She said she feared telling her teacher why she was constantly coming late.

“I called her teacher and told her, and she apologized back to me saying that she never knew what was happening at home.”

She said despite trying so hard to be at the award ceremony, she could not make it because of her condition.

“When the results came, she said for me to try and sit in a wheelchair and be taken to school to witness her prize giving but unfortunately that could not be done, and I watched it live from home.

“My tears flowed freely when I watched her go up to get her award.

“I only wished I was there to hold her and embrace her on that day, but I know that she knows that I am proud of her.”

Ms Droceva’s advice to other parents was simple yet profound.

“Our children need us. We need to spend time with them, encourage them, and love them. No matter how tired we are, we must make time for them. They are our greatest blessing.”

Fulori's FY8E Results:

English - 86

Maths - 79

Basic Science - 78

Healthy Living - 79

Social Science - 87

Vosa vaka Viti – 94