Page 4 - SPBD Businesswoman of the year awards 2021

SPBD

SPBD BUSINESSWOMAN OF
THE YEAR FINALISTS

Unaisi Wainibulileka (Lakena Centre, Suva)
Wainibulileka
joined SPBD in
2018. She runs
four businesses:
a canteen, selling
kava and BBQ,
and a carrier
service. Despite
facing setbacks
during COVID,
she is grateful for
SPBD’s generous
SPBD BUSINESSWOMAN support, saying, “It has improved my family’s
standard of living when it comes to my business,
OF THE YEAR 2021 savings, children’s education and the renovation
of my home.”
Seruwaia Kabukabu, Serea-Waimalua Centre, Naitasiri Milika Rokomada (Naitaqiri Centre, Suva)

Seruwaia Kabukabu is SPBD Fiji’s Businesswoman of the Year, 2021! Since 2013,
The 45-year-old is a dairy farmer in Naitasiri, who also cultivates cash Rokomada has
crops for a living. She previously engaged in mushroom farming. been selling
handicrafts,
Kabukabu first joined SPBD five years ago. “I have always been a business- flowers and grog
minded person and have always wanted to start my own business to help at Nausori Market.
my family,” she says. She also gets support from the Government. She honours her
Kabukabu began with a few dalo plants before expanding into dairy farm- role as Centre
ing. Chief by sharing
her knowledge
A shareholder of Fiji Dairy Limited, she said: “When my husband and I and talents with
returned to Serea-Waimalua (village), we had to upgrade the farm. We members at
cleared the land, fenced boundaries, and bought cattle. That was the chal- the newly established centre. The Fiji Bloom
lenge we faced. We weren’t able to get cattle that would give us more milk. pioneer says through SPBD, she has been able
We just bought cattle from whoever sold it and tried our best to upgrade to establish business partners and capitalise
the farming business.”
on online marketing, which has brought “good
Unlike most businesses, Fiji’s milk industry was not severely affected by exposure”.
the pandemic, as “we had been supplying milk despite closing borders,”
she says. Kabukabu’s dairy farm produces 60 litres of milk every day. Joana Ralomani
(Northland Korovou
SPBD has been a “big boost” for her business. “With the loans I take every Centre, Suva)
year, it added more capital to my business. My business is thriving and I’ll
keep on working to improve it,” said Kabukabu. Ralomani started her
farming business in 2018.
One of the most important things that she has learnt through SPBD is “al- It includes livestock and
ways making sure to have a rolling capital through loans or savings, which root crop farming. The
is enough to sustain my business.”
40-year-old entrepreneur
In the near future, the mother of two plans to install indoor feeders for her says running her own
cattle. “Cattle are aware of the changing climate so I want to have indoor business with SPBD has
feeds where the cattle can produce more per meal and have less stress,” enabled her and her
she emphasised. husband to look after their extended family. She
plans to own a truck and set up a shop in five
Kabukabu has set up electric fences around her cattle farm for security as years’ time.
well as for safe containment of the animals.

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