Tailevu mother sells dalo to prepare daughter for school

For Tailevu farmer Anaseini Vuibau, preparing her daughter for the new school year meant waking up before dawn, harvesting dalo and travelling long distances — well before any Government assistance was received.

Ms Vuibau, who has a daughter entering Class Seven this year, said her family relies on farming for survival, mainly growing kava and root crops such as dalo.

Her 12-year-old daughter will begin the school year after her parents worked hard to ensure she had the basic supplies needed for classes.

Last week, Ms Vuibau and her family travelled from Tailevu to Lami Market to sell their dalo harvest. They left home early in the morning, determined to earn enough to buy school stationery before the school term begins.

“We did not wait for the $200 Government assistance,” Ms Vuibau said.

She said some school items had already been purchased before the assistance was received.

“Our dalo was ready at the right time, just when school was about to start, so we decided to sell and use the money to buy her school things,” she said.

After selling their produce, the family received their payment at about 3pm and immediately travelled to Suva to purchase school supplies.

“We didn’t waste time. As soon as we got the money, we went straight to Suva to buy her school items,” she said.

Ms Vuibau said the cost of school supplies had increased compared to last year.

“Last year it was cheaper. This year everything has gone up, but I understand that the cost of living is also increasing,” she said.

Despite having only one child, she said providing for her daughter remained a challenge.

“Even with one child, parents still face hardship trying to provide,” she said.

Ms Vuibau acknowledged the Government’s $200 back-to-school assistance but encouraged parents not to rely solely on it.

“Parents should not depend too much on the $200 assistance,” she said.

“There are other ways to provide for our children, like farming and working hard, instead of waiting for Government assistance before buying school supplies.”

She said planning ahead and using available resources helped ensure her daughter was ready for the school year.

For Ms Vuibau’s family, the journey from farm to market to classroom is a reminder that preparation, sacrifice and hard work remain key to giving children a strong start to the school year.