IT is never too late to learn a new skill, says 48-year-old Sera Sigatolu.
The talkative and hardworking woman from Nukuni Village in Ono-i-Lau is in Suva on a mission.
She is the co-ordinator of a group of women who arrived from the island to attend a WWF Fiji Country Program workshop targeted at training participants who are capable of training other women from Ono-i-Lau to broaden knowledge on alternative livelihoods.
For Ms Sigatolu, one should learn something new every single day.
"That also includes knowing better what you already know," she said.
"For instance we know how to weave mats, make coconut oil and sasa broom but this workshop has enabled us to learn better ways of doing the same thing and a lot of new things as well.
"Learning never ends and women, once they've learnt a new skill, should keep it with them and teach their children as well," she said.
Upon returning to the island, she is eager to teach the learnt skill to the women of the four villages on the island.
Ms Sigatolu has a helping nature and wants the best of her people.
"I am doing this work and participating in this workshop for my people," she said.
"With these new skills, the women on the island can also make some money by selling their produce to the civil servants and tourists on the island.
"For instance we now know how to make peanut butter, cheese and tomato sauce.
"Women hardly do gardening on the island but I have to encourage them that we can always do light gardening and plant vegetables at least.
"Gardening is usually done by the men but now I believe women can make a good contribution as well.
Learning new skills has no time and one should always be prepared to take the new challenge. I am willing to keep learning new things until I die," she said confidently.
Ms Sigatolu said women can bring about powerful changes in the society if they believe they can.
"It is about having faith in yourself and making use of time.
"Women in all families should be creating a safe base for the upcoming young generations," she said.
