At just 26 years old, Stella Selina has already experienced significant adversity. Hailing from Kadavu, she spent her childhood in a turbulent environment in Veisari, near Lami, as her parents’ marriage deteriorated.
Stella recalls her early years spent primarily with her mother and younger brother until she reached 10 years old. During this time, social welfare became a necessity as her mother struggled to find work. The eventual separation of Stella’s parents led to a challenging upbringing filled with social welfare involvement and legal disputes.
Seeking stability and a brighter future after years of upheaval, Stella faced the tough decision of leaving high school at the age of 16 to help support her family. She explained, “Since our life was not easy, I had to drop out from high school in order to support mum, because she also had a new family.” Despite finding some comfort in her stepfather’s support, her determination to care for her younger brother drove her forward.
By 17, Stella began working at a media company, often taking on multiple roles and shifts. She later took a position as a sales assistant at Harrison’s, where she met her future husband, Rav Neil Prakash. They married when she was just 19 and now live in Sawani with their two children—a seven-year-old daughter and a one-year-old son.
Although her husband is supportive, Stella values her independence. She stated, “That’s my main goal, to be independent in life because throughout my whole life I was doing double shifts here and there and you just get fed up of working for someone. I needed to be independent to run my own business.”
Stella’s aspirations were enhanced by attending the “Start and Improve Your Own Business” training organized by the Ministry of Trade. Inspired by her mother-in-law, she seized the chance to learn essential skills for realizing her business goals.
Now, Stella is more committed than ever to her success. She expressed, “I know how to run and handle my business in the future…and I’m looking forward to attending a few more in the future.” Her message to young girls and women is to “take advantage of available resources and never rely on others to define your success.”
With her recent training backing her ambitions, Stella is on track to achieve her dreams, proving that even the most difficult beginnings can lead to extraordinary accomplishments. She concludes, “I know what struggle is, but with hard work and a realistic goal, anyone can achieve anything.”