Years of having to depend on other villager’s boats to help put food on the table for Sawaieke, Gau villager, Alipate Seru, will now be a thing of the past.
This after he received a brand new boat and outboard engine from the Ministry of Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management under the ministry’s self-help programme.
Mr Seru divides his time between farming and fishing for his family’s daily livelihood.
“I plant yaqona as my main source of income but this boat will enable me to go out fishing more often to catch fish which I can later sell to earn money and support my family,” said the father of four.
“Fishing supplements the income I get from yaqona to support my family.
“I used to ask other people’s boats in the village to use it for fishing. But the provision of this new boat will be of great help to me in supporting my family’s daily livelihood.”
Under the Self-Help programme, communities are encouraged to initiate their socio economic sustainable development projects on a cost sharing basis with the Government.
“So I had to only pay a third of the total cost. I paid slightly more than $5000 and the remaining cost was borne by the Government. I would like to thank the Government and also urge other people in rural areas like me to learn more about the Government's programme.
Government’s assistance is available, people just need to come forward and seek advice from various Government ministries,” said Mr.Seru.
Speaking during the handover, Assistant Minister for Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management Hon. Jale Sigarara said he hoped the provision of the new boat would enable Mr. Seru to generate income from his family.
“Today’s handover reiterates the Government's commitment of ‘leaving no one behind’,” Hon Sigarara said.