Family needs help to fix home

By Nefertiti Matatia 10 July 2018, 12:00AM

Lita Aumua often has sleepless nights worrying about her children due to their living condition. 

Like any mother, she is concerned for her young children’s safety and what the future holds for them.

The Village Voice team met the unemployed mother of three at their home in Faleasiu. 

She said they have lived in their rundown house for 10 years and she needs assistance as she cannot afford to get their house fixed.  

“This has always been the condition of the house that we live in. There are so many things that we want done with our home but it all depends on what we can afford. We need timber for our house. It is the only thing that we need the most at this stage,” Aumua said. 

“The tarpaulins have also been torn because of the strong winds and the torrential rainfalls. We don’t have beds and mosquito nets. We rely on mosquito coils to keep mosquitoes away, but it does not work all the time.”

The 34-year-old mother said despite their financial struggles, they have prioritised their children’s education.

“We have two children who are in school, which is what we have to prioritise and always invest in. We may be struggling now, but our children’s education can be our ticket out of poverty. We hope that our cocoa plantation would be able to provide for everything that we need in our family.”

The family’s daily struggles continue to hinder them from rebuilding their broken home. 

“None of us work, but our crops supplies everything we need. It is not easy because there are times when the weather would be terrible and the crops would not grow well. Most of the times when certain events arise such as our obligations to our family, then we have to do what we have been asked to do. It is part of our service to our family and community,” she added. 

She also blamed climate change for the change in the weather which has made life tougher. 

“Climate change has a major contribution to the hardship of life and nature is something that we cannot fight off,” she said.

The family uses a pit toilet which is unsafe but Aumua said it is an issue that they cannot address due to their lack of finance and resources. For anyone who is willing to help Mrs. Aumua and her family, contact the mobile phone number 7635729.

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

By Nefertiti Matatia 10 July 2018, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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