Piula wants water access for all

By Aruna Lolani 28 September 2017, 12:00AM

Piula Esela, of Tuana’i, is asking for help.

The 39-year-old told the Village Voice that the government’s water has never reached the forestry area of his village, which is where he stays.

“I come everyday to work and check on my crops but I sometimes think to myself that it’s useless trying to bring something to life when there’s no access to water,” he says to the Village Voice.

“I mean even if there’s water, you’re looking at water from miles and miles away from here.”

“But that’s the thing; we need water not just for us but for our crops, vegetables, for everyone’s plantations. These are all living things and they are our way of living.”

“We don’t even have water tanks nor did we get any help with any water tanks. It is hard to live life like this; struggling to find water for yourself to survive and for your plants to grow be fruitful.”

Piula is a farmer and he is frustrated about having to struggle in getting something that we need in order to survive.

Everyone works in this life to keep their family alive and this plantation is my life as well because it feeds my family; without it, I am nothing. I don’t have any other job so I’ll probably be just someone with nothing else to do when it dies.

He added “I used to be a carpenter but I stayed behind when there weren’t many of us left in the family. I have 12 siblings and besides the three of us still living life here; the rest have families of their own and some left for overseas.”

Piula is the youngest amongst all of them and currently living together with his two sisters at Tuana’i. 

“Our parents have passed on but they have always been my role models; they were hardworking farmers and that is why I asked for help in having access to water on this side so I could do my work properly, it would really mean a lot to me.” 

“I do think about getting another job later on in the future but at the moment, I just want to focus on developing this plantation for the future.”

By Aruna Lolani 28 September 2017, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

Upgrade to Premium

Subscribe to
Samoa Observer Online

Enjoy unlimited access to all our articles on any device + free trial to e-Edition. You can cancel anytime.

>