At 26 years old, Stella Selina has encountered more challenges than many face in a lifetime. Hailing from Kadavu, she grew up in a fractured family in Veisari, near Lami.
Stella’s early life was unstable, marked by her parents’ troubled marriage. “My younger brother and I lived with our mother until I was 10, and we had to rely on social welfare because my mother was unemployed,” she recalled. Eventually, her parents’ separation led to a chaotic childhood, where social services and court disputes became the norm.
After spending her early years bouncing between her mother, father, and various relatives, Stella longed for a stable and brighter future. Despite the difficulties she faced, her resilience never wavered. At 16, she made the tough choice to leave school and provide for her family. “Life was challenging, and I had to quit high school to support my mother, who had remarried,” she explained.
While her stepfather’s support and her mother’s new family offered temporary comfort, Stella always kept her commitment to her younger brother in mind. At 17, she joined a media company, working double shifts across different roles. Later, she took a position as a sales assistant at Harrison’s, where she met her future husband, Rav Neil Prakash. They married when Stella was just 19 and now reside in Sawani with their two children—a seven-year-old daughter and a one-year-old son.
“Even though my husband supports me, it’s important to be independent,” she stated. “My main goal is independence because I’ve spent my whole life working hard for others.”
Stella aspired to run her own business, and this dream began to materialize through the “Start and Improve Your Own Business” training program organized by the Ministry of Trade. Motivated by her mother-in-law, she seized the opportunity to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to realize her vision.
Today, Stella is more determined than ever to succeed. “I know how to manage my future business, and I look forward to attending more training sessions.”
Her message to young girls and women who want to be independent is to “utilize available resources and don’t depend on others to measure your success.” With her recent training, Stella is on the path to achieving her dreams, illustrating that challenging beginnings can lead to significant accomplishments. “I understand what struggle is, but with dedication and realistic goals, anyone can accomplish anything.”