ALREADY drained by the effects of Tropical Cyclone Evan, some parents from Yasawa spent $60 to travel to Lautoka in a desperate bid to sell crabs for their children's education needs.
Vuaki villagers Litia Vunisa and Renivani Nasiga said they left Yaqeta for the Lautoka Market because they must prepare their children for school ahead of the new school year.
"Things at home are still difficult," said Mrs Vunisa.
"We usually would bring nama (sea grapes), mussels and other seafood to sell but this time around, all we could find were crabs."
Mrs Vunisa said other islanders did not make the journey to the market because of the scarcity of seafood after Evan.
"We had to come mainly because school is about to start. We need the money to buy school stationery for our children," said Mrs Nasiga.
The women were joined by Marou villagers from Naviti Island who also had heaps of crabs selling at $5 and $10 a heap.
"Many of us would also sell coconuts but even those are gone," Mrs Nasiga said.
Many stalls at the market were empty because of the scarcity of food produce.