Lafaele Vula Tominiko who lost both his parents at a young age overcame a lot of adversity and was all smiles after graduating with a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of the South Pacific.
Tominiko who has maternal links to Tamavua Village and paternal links to Samoa says he was 3 when he lost his father and 9 when he lost his mother.
The former Sacred Heart College student says he wishes his parents were alive to witness his graduation.
Tominiko says during the toughest times when he felt like giving up, his mother’s family stood unwaveringly by his side, providing the support and love needed to guide him and his siblings through their journey.
He says without his family's support, he would not have been able to graduate with his degree.
Tominiko also highlighted that there were times he had to walk from school to town saying this motivated him to strive for more and not deter his focus.
His advice to students is to remember why they started in the first place and always persevere
Tominiko is the youngest of four siblings.
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