Father worries about school and water

By Nefertiti Matatia 16 January 2018, 12:00AM

Hardship and poverty have left Fa’ifa’i Petelu worried about his children’s education. 

The unemployed father of two says with school starting soon, he fears he won’t be able to provide for his children’s needs. 

“School is vital if any parent wants a better future for their children,” he said.

“I don’t want my kids to experience the struggles that I encounter every morning.” 

Mr. Petelu says he relies heavily on the ocean for daily sustenance and financial income. 

“As a fisherman, the money which I make is not enough to put food on the table or pay for the water bill or even enough to buy their school uniforms, bus fares and even stationeries for the whole year,” he added.

He says his wife is looking for a job to support their family. 

Mr. Petelu from Faleu Manono adds their family faces daily financial struggles, especially with the expensive cost of living in Samoa. 

“We really need help because our tap water has been disconnected for more than three months because we don’t have the money to pay for the bill and to make matters worse, we do not have a water tank.

“Life is hard for me and my family, waking up every day is just frustrating we just don’t know where to seek help from,” the 57-year-old told the Village Voice team yesterday. 

He says they usually depend on his brother’s water, but since he had moved, the Samoa Water Authority disconnected their only water source.

By Nefertiti Matatia 16 January 2018, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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