Sainiani Boila 
Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka
For Meresiana Wasa of Navarada Settlement, the provision of a house by the coalition government has brought much-needed relief and transformed her life.
Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka highlighted that Wasa’s life took a tragic turn after the loss of her husband in a boat accident on the Qawa River in 2018.
Since then, she has faced tremendous hardship, raising five children on her own, three of whom live with physical disabilities.
Despite these challenges, Ms. Wasa remained resilient, finding strength and support from her extended family.
In 2023, she applied for housing assistance through the Ministry of Women, Children, and Social Protection’s Family Assistance Scheme.
“The program has four schemes, which covers the payment of cartage of cost for housing materials, construction of a new house, retrofitting of existing structure to withstand category four to five cyclones, completion of existing structure, construction of homes for native tree resource owners, and provision of housing for recipients of social welfare assistance.”
On December 18, 2024, Wasa’s perseverance was rewarded when Jovesa Vocea, Assistant Minister for Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management, handed her the keys to a brand-new home.
The house was provided to her through the Rural Housing Assistance (RHA) Programme under Scheme 4, aimed at addressing housing needs in rural and maritime communities.
The RHA Programme is designed to offer affordable housing solutions to those in need, with the government working to support rural families facing housing difficulties.
For Wasa, the gift of a new home represents a turning point in her journey, bringing not only security but also hope for the future.
