Felix Sikaba was born and raised in the small paradise town of Savusavu in Savudrodro Village by his mother with three other brothers and one sister.
During their school days, it was very difficult for their mother who was the only sole breadwinner in the family, to bring them up because of their financial struggles.
Felix only managed to reach Form Four level at Savusavu Secondary School before he dropped out and travelled to Suva in 1990 where he was on the city streets up until 1995.
He returned to Savusavu where he was arrested for drug-related offences and sent to Vaturekuka Corrections Centre in Labasa to do his prison term from 1995 to 1997.
After completing his prison sentence, Felix then returned to Suva and joined the shoeshine profession.
He left the shoeshine profession in 1999 and worked as a cleaner at Native Jewellers where he got his first taste of what it was like to become a real jeweller.
In 2000, Felix started his own small-time jewellery repair business from his place of residence before he made the best decision of his life in 2001, when he married the girl of his dreams.
Felix now has two daughters and two sons.
From the little bit of savings he kept, Felix managed to buy his own jewellery tools from a Fijian of Indian descent businessman called Mr Daven.
Felix says he,to this day, owes a lot to this gentleman for helping him master the finer aspects of the jewellery repair business.
Mr Daven passed away two years ago but Felix thanks the Lord for enabling a Gujarati man help him, an iTaukei entrepreneur.
"Now I have plenty Gujarati friends," he boasts, but he thanks the good Lord for opening this door to him.
Felix now has his own shop Number 10 at Level 2, Yatulau Arcade opposite the Suva bus stand.
Called Horeb Jewellers, this is where he repairs and remakes 9 carat, 18 carat and 22 carat gold and silver jewellery.
He says, "My advice to my friend out there is: never lose hope for hope is to persevere".
"We are made in the image of God and God has a plan for each one of us.
"People see the negative side of us but God see's the inside of us. "I thought that I would be stuck with shoeshining for the rest of my life but I didn't know that God had a better plan for my life of which I never dreamt of before." He quotes from the Holy Bible scriptures 2 Timothy 4:7 - "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith" is his personal motto in life.
Felix specialises in pearl mounting, ring and chain repairing, designing, engraving, polishing and many more.
He says interested people are most welcome to contact him on 3601523 or 9468951.
* Julian Simpson is a contributor to The Fiji Times People Page.