“There is no food for the lazy”

By Vatapuia Maiava and Ilia L Likou 02 October 2016, 12:00AM

Amoe Manigi believes in a very simple philosophy.

“If you’re too lazy to work, you shouldn’t eat from other people’s work,” he said. 

 “There is no food for the lazy.” 

Amoe Manigi, from the village of Satitoa, is a farmer.

The 24-year-old works his plantation right throughout the week to support his parents and family.

“I work with all the strength in my body because I was taught to help out the family and to take care of my parents,” he told the Village Voice.

“When I was a little younger I would muck around a lot and waste time sitting around at home but I then realized that I am not helping my family that way and there is no food for the lazy.”

“That’s why I started coming out here to work hard to provide for my parents and family.”

But he wasn’t always a determined farmer. Growing up, Amoe had a little taste of life and realized that hard work is better than wasting time.

“I just started the life of a farmer recently and I know it’s nowhere close to being enough,” he said.

“Right now my family just uses it for food but once my plantation gets a bit bigger then I will start selling it to earn a bit of money.”

Hard work is the life of a young farmer but that doesn’t bother Amoe one bit.

“My brother and sister in Apia are the only two in the family who have jobs,” he said.

“It’s just my parents and I at home along with a few other family members. I’m not facing any problems right now in taking care of my family.

“The only thing I find hard is motivating myself to come out and do the hard work.

I would wake up in the early hours of the morning and start working before sun rise. Then I rest when the sun is very hot in the middle of the day.”

According to Amoe, his family is doing alright because they currently run a shop which generates a bit of profit.

“My family has enough money right now because we also run a shop,” he said.

“That’s why we don’t really have a lot of worries out here. We have enough money to cover food and other small family needs.”

By Vatapuia Maiava and Ilia L Likou 02 October 2016, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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