PEOPLE | Jiuta: Believe in yourself - Voice of Asia - Telling Stories from Asia to the World!

The measure of success lies not in what you have already accomplished, but in what you are still capable of doing. This quote perfectly embodies the life of Sefeti Giuta and serves as the driving force behind his continuous progress.

At the young age of 23, Giuta overcame numerous obstacles to become the first university graduate in his family. Now, he is looking forward to pursuing a master's degree in Japan. For him, this is not only an honor but also a responsibility and an expectation for the future.

Giuta was born and raised in the Nadonumai settlement in Lami, where his family's financial situation was not prosperous, and hard work was a necessity. Although his parents did not receive formal education, they did their best to support him and his three older siblings. "They worked hard to provide me with everything I have today and shaped who I am," Giuta said.

He attended Suva Methodist Primary School, Dudley Intermediate School, and Dudley High School. He also spent a year at Lelean Memorial School before returning to Dudley to complete his secondary education. Giuta stated that he was always an average student, never receiving any academic awards or holding any student council positions. However, this did not deter him from pursuing his dream of higher education.

"After graduating from high school, I entered the University of the South Pacific (USP). I became the first university graduate in my family. My siblings all attended university, but none of them completed their studies." At the age of 21, Giuta's life took an unexpected turn when his father passed away. He received the devastating news while participating in the JENESYS (Japan-East Asia Network of Students and Youths Exchange) program in Japan. Despite his grief, Giuta was not defeated by sadness. He returned to school and attended subsequent seminars, where he first learned about the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) Scholarship.

"There, they encouraged students to apply for scholarships, so I applied. I also watched related videos on YouTube and TikTok to learn about the scholarship. I wanted to try my luck. I applied last year and passed the interview." Giuta received an email and then a phone call while on vacation in his village. "They told me I had been selected, and I was nervous and didn't know what to do."

"This is a huge blessing for me because after graduating from the University of the South Pacific, I didn't know whether to look for a job or continue my studies," Giuta said. Now, he is preparing to go to Japan to begin his master's degree program. He encourages the younger generation: "Never look down on yourself. Persevere, because once you enter university, it will be a completely different level and a completely different environment."