Father works hard to overcomes the odds

By Nefertiti Matatia 12 July 2018, 12:00AM

Life is what you make it.

Ask 78-year-old Fesola’i Pea of Faleasi’u and he will tell you all about it. 

He’s had to overcome a lot of challenges and yet he remains with a positive outlook on life. Having his wife pass away in 1999, he has had to raise his family of three alone since then. 

The task became even more difficult with his deteriorating vision. He can hardly see.

But that’s not all.

His living conditions add to the burden with the absence of a running water supply. 

Speaking to the Village Voice, he said he could do with some help to fix his house.

“The house that I live in has been here for more than 20 years now,” he said. “My daughter has given me the iron roofing of her house to fix my house. The wooden frame of the house is no longer strong enough.”

As an elder, getting out and about becomes even more difficult with every passing day. This is where he needs help with a better toilet.

“But as everything else in life, it requires money to make it happen. We don’t have that much money. With my situation, I cannot see and the toilet is too far away from where my house is.”

A water tank is on his wish list.

“There is a time when the water supply would not come on and that is when we would need a water tank. The reason we have always wanted a water tank because there are so many of us. My children are a priority.”

One of the biggest challenges is that no one from the family has a formal job.

“It is my son that looks after me,” he said. “Him and his wife together with their six children. They have many things to deal with and they always prioritise me in everything that they do.”

“Usually when they sell their crops they would receive more than a $100 a week.” 

His daughter said their priority is her father.

 “He is also sick. My father was not born blind but he was hurt during the time when he was fixing his mother’s house at Magiagi that caused him to lose his first,” she said.

“His second eye was lost when he used the Samoan traditional leaves to cure his eyes. These are the same Samoan leaves we usually used. He got hurt when a sharp tiny wood injured his eye.”

For anyone willing to help Mr. Pea and his family, contact 7626334.

To offer assistance, Help Samoa is offering free scheduled delivery to all Upolu Village Voice families.

By Nefertiti Matatia 12 July 2018, 12:00AM
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