Five Fijians are spending their Saturday day off feeding the hungry people in Brisbane's Eastern suburbs in Australia cooking curry and stir fry while singing a tune known widely back home "Eda sa qaqa”
Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme, worker Tavite Ramasi says he is happy spending his Saturdays cooking meals.
Ramasi says back home, the rising cost of living has heaped more pressure on families, and in Fiji, it is expensive, and they have to struggle a lot.
He says most of them come from villages and have to do farming, now they have a job opportunity in Australia, they should do their best.
Ramasi stresses they aim to save money and support their families back home where the minimum wage is $4 an hour, and they also want to help people struggling with high costs in Australia.
He highlighted he feels so sad when he sees people looking for food and shelter in Australia.
PALM worker Emosi Ratuwase says he is trying to spend less on food because the cost of living is very high.
Ramase reiterates it is part of their life to cook food and bring people together in a community because that is part of their Fijian culture.
Evelyn Tamanisau, who leads the PALM workers in cooking and giving out food with her husband Meli Tamanisau says the number of people coming for meals has grown. The couple first began giving cooked meals to people sleeping rough in the city.
Tamanisau says the food, donated by Sun Pork and Hands and Feet, is spread out in pots and containers around the kitchen.
Brisbane pastor Violet Langan, who also moved to Australia from Fiji and helps households struggling to afford bills and food, says they need to show love because groceries are becoming too expensive even for people who work.
Source: ABC News
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