THE constant struggles presented in life can either break a person or make him/her stronger to tackle the challenges that they are faced with. For 28-year-old Tevita Rakai, his life became a challenge from a very early age — his father was jailed for six years, leaving him and three siblings to stay with their relatives in Suva while their expectant mother stayed back in the village.

Tevita was 14 years old at the time and into the first term of third form at Latter Day Saints College in Suva when the siblings decided that he should leave school and find a job. He started his work as a wheelbarrow boy at the Suva Municipal Market by day and worked as a barbecue stand operator by night. The young Tevita continued to work both jobs into his 20s and then started doing casual labour during the day while still maintaining his passion of the barbecue business. “I’ve struggled a lot throughout my life, but I worked hard wherever I worked and a supervisor with Concrete Solutions noticed me. From then on, I learnt through experience and have never looked back,” Tevita said.

Concrete Solutions is a subsidiary of Pacific Building Solutions and the company said Tevita now worked as a concreter for Concrete Solutions, working in several ongoing Nadi Projects for the company. “This job with Concrete Solutions, has given me security as I now am 28 years old and have a wife and young son in Class 2. “I’m also happy about finally being able to have my FNPF deductions for our future and most of all the new skill sets I’ve acquiring from this role as a concreter.” Tevita owns one of the best and longest serving BBQ night stands in Nadi and has 2 employees who work for him every Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, operating opposite the Nadi market.