Sera Kaitani Naivalini and her family are enduring chilly nights in their temporary home in Saru, Lautoka, opting for self-sufficiency instead of staying with relatives. Their home was destroyed by fire three weeks ago, and before the incident, nine family members resided there.
Instead of moving in with neighbors or family, they chose to set up a tent as their new living arrangement. Ms. Naivalini, along with her four children, parents, and two brothers, stated, “We built this temporary shed while waiting for our house to be rebuilt. Despite the cold weather, we chose to stay on our own. We don’t want to burden other families or even our relatives. We can survive with this.”
The 30-year-old mother mentioned they are receiving assistance from various donors. “Our house was destroyed, and we couldn’t save anything,” she said. “We are grateful for the support from non-governmental organizations, religious groups, overseas relatives, and everyone who has helped us. We have been provided with some concrete blocks and look forward to building our new home.”