THREE young girls play outside in the rain.
Toes covered in mud, clothes soaking wet, their laughter echoed through the small clearing where their humble home sits.
Their father is not far away, keeping a watchful eye as he tends to a garden of crops and vegetables. They seem at peace with the surroundings until disturbed by the arrival of strangers. They stop playing and quickly recline to the safety of a bare-walled shed.
This was the scene on Monday at Nadelei, Koro Naba Dua, Vatukoula, after a one and half hour journey from Tavua.
For a few months now, Eremasi Kuinikoro and his four children have been living in a tent sheltered by a newly-built shed with no walls. Beside it stands a second makeshift house made up of a tarpaulin roof and dried reeds sewn tightly together to form a wall.
On this rainy day, the shelters are cold and wet. But this is what the family calls home.
"The children don't mind," said Mr Kuinikoro. "They like living in tents."
Reliving his struggles, Mr Kuinikoro said things had not been easy for his young family. His struggles began with his love for farming.
"I've always had a dream to run my own commercial beekeeping farm and start an organic farm. I started off working as labourer just volunteering in vegetable and beekeeping farms.
"I did that for about 15 years. I have worked in Serua, Sigatoka and Lautoka. During that time I met my wife and we had our seven children," said Mr Kuinikoro.
The 32-year-old said his odd job as a labourer did not earn the family much but he was driven by a bigger dream.
"Experience. That was something I was looking for. I wanted to learn how to start a farm and how to run a successful one too."
He admits that during this "learning period" he made decisions that cost him dearly.
"In 2010, my wife was diagnosed with a brain tumour. Her sickness became worse and at one point she was bedridden. When her sickness got worse, raising the kids alone became harder."
Mr Kuinikoro had to make the heart wrenching decision to split his family up.
"Two of my children (twins) went to stay with her in Lautoka with relatives while she got treatment."
Then tragedy struck in 2011.
His six-year-old son came down with sepsis, a severe blood infection that can lead to organ failure and death.
The young boy was admitted at the Lautoka Hospital for three months before tragically succumbing of pneumonia.
He said having suffered two major losses, he did not think life could get worse.
"But it did. In 2012, two floods and Tropical Cyclone Evan destroyed the beekeeping business I looked after for a friend. So this left me out of work and with nowhere to live."
"There is not much I can do now except pray," he said.
For now, it seems that some of his prayers are being answered.
He said his friend was trying to revive the bee farm and he was hoping to get his job back in the near future.
Teachers from a nearby school have also lent a hand. It was Nadelei Catholic School teachers Saviriano Tulele and Leone Raselala who brought the plight of the Kunikoro family to the attention of The Fiji Times.
Headteacher Mr Raselala said the school was more than happy to help the family.
"Master Saviriano found them one day when he was dropping off children at Waikubukubu Village and when he told us about the way and how they were living we got everyone together including the students to donate books, clothes, uniforms, sandals to the kids and we also gave them some groceries," said Mr Raselala.
"But they need more than that so hopefully more people will come forward and help these unfortunate children."
Mr Raselala has also agreed to enrol Mr Kunikoro's eldest daughters, Mereia Tokasa, nine, and Selita Wati, six, at the school free of charge.
But the family's happiness is mixed with a hint of sadness. Mr Kuinikoro's youngest son, Jiuta Jone, two, has also been diagnosed with sepsis.
"He can't walk right now. A nurse has seen him and they were kind enough to provide him with milk and medicine. The school matron also comes often to see him."
Of his son's sickness, Mr Kuinikoro believes it could be another test.
"I have to be resilient. I have to keep believing that one day things will get better."