Rising living costs have prompted a 40-year-old mother of five from Tailevu to return to work, this time as a market vendor, to help support her family's finances.
Mereti Mataiwai, has been selling root crops and vegetables at the Korovou Market for the past five months.
Mataiwai says she previously worked as a cashier at a supermarket in Korovou before resigning and spending some time at home.
However, with the increasing cost of living, she decided to start selling produce to supplement her household income.
She says her husband works for the Water Authority of Fiji, but the family's combined income is no longer enough to keep pace with rising prices.
Mataiwai sells dalo, cassava and a range of vegetables, saying the income helps her buy essential items for her five children, contribute to family expenses and meet village obligations.
She says while some customers are surprised by the prices at her stall, many do not realise that vendors also pay high prices to purchase produce from farmers.
Mataiwai says market vendors must make a profit to support their families, and the prices they charge reflect the rising costs throughout the supply chain.
Although she has not yet applied for any Government assistance for small businesses, she hopes to do so once her business becomes more established.
For now, she says every dollar earned at the market is carefully saved by her and her husband to help secure a better future for their family.
