Alipate Seru uses fishing to supplement the income he gets from yaqona farming to support his family.
Last week the Gau Island villager received a brand new boat and outboard engine from the Ministry of Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management under the ministry’s self-help program.
Mr Seru said farming and fishing helps cater for his family’s daily livelihood.
“I plant yaqona as my main source of income but this boat will enable me to go out fishing more often to catch fish which I can later sell to earn money and support my family,” he said.
The father of four said he had always being reliant on other village boats for fishing.
However, he said this would now be a thing of the past for him.
“I used to ask other people’s boats in the village to use it for fishing. But the provision of this new boat will be of great help to me in supporting my family’s daily livelihood.
Under the Self-Help programme, communities are encouraged to initiate their socio economic sustainable development projects on a cost sharing basis with the Government.
“So I had to only pay a third of the total cost. I paid slightly more than $5000 and the remaining cost was borne by the Government. I would like to thank the Government and also urge other people in rural areas like me to learn more about the Government’s programme.
“Government’s assistance is available, people just need to come forward and seek advice from various Government ministries.”
Assistant Minister for Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management Jale Sigarara said he hoped the provision of the new boat would enable Mr Seru to generate income from his family.
