What should have been a morning filled entirely with excitement was an emotional one for 28-year-old Kaitalo Voce, who spent an hour crying and remembering her late son before getting ready for one of the biggest milestones of her life, her graduation.
Voce, who graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Management, says the occasion was bittersweet as her young son who was her biggest motvation, was not there to witness one of her biggest achievements after passing away last Monday following an illness.
She says graduating today meant much more than receiving a qualification, it marks the culmination of a journey in which she balanced her studies with motherhood, family responsibilities and personal loss, with her son remaining one of her greatest motivations.
Insert: We have been through a lot 10th Sept
Speaking to fijivillage News about her journey, the 28-year-old from Vivili Village in Savusavu says while studying, she would deliberately choose afternoon classes so she could spend the first part of the day looking after her son.
Voce says managing her time allowed her to continue her studies while fulfilling her responsibilities as a mother.
She says her road to graduation was filled with many challenges, from losing her dad to her father-in-law and then her son. However, she says the support of her husband and family kept her going.
The new graduate encourages others not to give up when their own journey becomes difficult or to become discouraged if achieving their goals takes longer than expected.
She says everyone has their own journey and their hard work will eventually pay off.
