By Jim John
“NEVER GIVE UP,” is the motto of a betel nut vendor to raise her two children.
Julie Maina, aged 42 hails from West Elimbari in Chimbu Province and has been working tirelessly to raise her two children, Kenneth and Daniel Amovi.
In 2010, her husband Amovi, was engaged by Steamships Trading Company Limited so Julie and her husband relocated to Kiunga while their sons remained in Eastern Highlands Province to school.
After several months, her husband flew back to Port Moresby leaving her in Kiunga.
Julie shared that her sons, Kenneth and Daniel were schooling at Kabiufa Secondary School in Eastern Highlands Province at that time, so to move back to Port Moresby would be a struggle to find school fees, because of this Julie decided to stay in Kiunga.
“I went to the airport and clung to fence at the airport and cried because my husband left me without a good reason. The only amount he gave me was K60 before he got on the plane.” said Julie.
She has a cousin sister in Kiunga, Martha whom she stayed with and started selling ice blocks, baked doughnuts and betel nuts to sustain their livelihood.
She shared that she sometimes had to gamble just to make money for her children’s school fees.
Julie added that despite attempts to seek help from relatives and friends, no one extended help to Julie and her sons.
This did not make the brave mother give up rather made Julie a smart vendor.
In 2011, Julie continued to do sales and earned K3,000, this profit was then used to pay school fees for her sons.
After a few months, her husband flew back to Kiunga and stayed with her. They both ventured into can collection and their business grew resulting in more cash generation.
Unfortunately, as Julie recalls, her husband left and remarried.
Julie however was more determined to moved on with her life and continued to raise money for her two sons.
From her daily sales, she earns K700 a week and K1,000 within a month.
Her two sons are now in Tertiary Institution, Kenneth is studying Law at the University of Papua New Guinea and Daniel is taking Science Foundation at the FODE centre in Port Moresby.
Julie said, this is a reminder to other mothers and girls in the country who may have experienced similar situations to be courageous and never give up on life.
