Mother To Open Canteen With $360, Buy Tablets For Her Children

Taufa Rokobuli plans to open her canteen from the $360 Government unemployment assistance received by her husband last week.

The 39-year-old mother-of-two children from Wainividio Settlement in Navua said the small canteen would accommodate the needs of the people in her settlement and also to support her family.

“My husband, a carpentry assistant, lost his employment following the lockdown due to the pandemic in April and our financial situation worsened following that,” said Mrs Rakobuli.

She said, there was no shop or canteen in the settlement and people had to walk to town even for a packet of noodles or snack.

She added that with the little money her husband earns from the part time employment around Navua helped their family with at least two meals but an extra income would support her two children’s educational needs.

“Both of my children fell behind in studies as I do not have a smart phone to access viber like other students who are regularly attending online classes.

“I would also buy a smart phone once I start my canteen so my children can catch up with their studies,”  said Mrs Rakobuli.

She thanked the class teacher of her Year Six son for providing home learning materials and checking on her students in the settlement.

Mrs Rakobuli also thanked the Government for their unemployment assistance of $360.

For some it might be just an extra cash for alcohol or groceries but for her family it’s the first step in a direction to get her family out of poverty and daily struggle.

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