Luisa Taga Momoyalewa has expanded and rebranded the family boat transfer business she has run since 2021, growing the fleet to more than 10 fiberglass vessels and relaunching operations as Boys Kece Surf and Staff Transfer. The Yanuya villager took over the business after the death of her husband and said a government grant was pivotal to the latest round of investment that has modernised the fleet and increased service capacity across the Malolo Islands.
The business, started by her father‑in‑law more than two decades ago and operated by her husband until 2021, provides regular transfers between Yaro Village and neighbouring resorts, ferrying the staff who work at island properties and tourists who come for the area’s renowned surf breaks. Ms Taga said the company also runs surfing tours for international and local surfers who flock to the Malolo group for its world‑class waves, adding a tourism revenue stream to the routine staff transfers.
Ms Taga was the recipient of the government’s Integrated Human Resources Development (IHRD) grant, which she said enabled the purchase of two brand‑new boats and a replacement engine. “With this assistance I was able to buy two brand new boats and an engine. It makes our business more efficient by having new vessels that we can operate and transfer our people in,” she said, noting that the newer boats reduce maintenance costs and allow for more frequent sailings.
The fleet now comprises more than 10 fiberglass boats, a notable expansion for a sole trader operation based in a small island community. Ms Taga credited strong local support — from boat captains, family and relatives — for the business’s ability to scale. “Even though it is a sole trader business, I have a lot of support from my boat captains and my family and relatives. It takes a whole village to run a small business like this,” she said.
Securing a future for her children has been a central motivation for Ms Taga since she assumed control of the enterprise. A mother of four, she said she wants her sons to see that hard work and sacrifice can sustain a livelihood and hopes to hand the business to her eldest child in time. “My husband, their father before him, ran this business too and I want them to continue it for him and for our family,” she said.
The rebrand to Boys Kece Surf and Staff Transfer and the enlarged, modernised fleet come at a time when reliable intra‑island transport remains vital to the Malolo group’s tourism and employment ecosystems. By reducing downtime for repairs and increasing operational frequency, Ms Taga’s investment not only strengthens her family business but also supports the regular movement of staff and visitors that island resorts depend on.