I grew up in Savai’i, where my family often struggled financially. We faced the dual pressure of fulfilling village and church obligations while trying to manage our basic needs, including school fees. My name is Matauaina Isaako, and I want to share my mother, Toto Latu Isaako’s story of quiet resilience.
As a child, my close relationship with my mother began to change when I started preschool at four. She would drop me off at school and then disappear until late at night. When I asked about her day, she simply said she had found a satisfying job. “I am so excited about my job, it’s so easy and rewarding,” she would tell me.
Our circumstances shifted when we moved to Upolu after my sister was accepted into the National University of Samoa. The most challenging day of my childhood occurred when I was in fifth grade. During a school field trip in Vaitoloa, I saw my mother weeding a garden. This unexpected sight confused me, and my classmates’ questions added to my discomfort. When I called out to her, she tried to ignore me, which was startling.
When I got home, I confronted her about what I had seen. She became emotional and explained, “Son, that is what I do. I perform chores like laundry, babysitting, weeding, and cleaning for others to earn money for your education.”
Learning about the true nature of her work was hard for me. I had not realised the extent of her sacrifices. She had portrayed her job as fulfilling to protect me from the reality of her struggles.
As I grew older and continued my education through college and university, she kept working hard to support my studies. When I graduated in 2021, seeing her pride and joy during the ceremony was deeply moving. Now that I am employed, I give my salary to my parents, especially my mom, as a way of acknowledging her sacrifices.
Every day, I appreciate what my mother has done for me. Her efforts not only provided for my education but also showed me the value of hard work and perseverance. She became like a second mother to many of the children she cared for in other families, a testament to her kindness and care.