From Fijitimes Online (31 May 2004)

Hard work, dedication leads to success in life for Tiu Mesulame

By Temo Lenati  

IT takes hard work, dedication, belief and patience before you achieve anything in life.

Tiu Mesulame has been planting uvi (yams) for the past 15 years and applies this simple philosophy to his work in the plantation.

And he continues to reap the benefits every year.

Mr Mesulame stays at Dilkusha Heights in Nausori with his family, and during the Dilkusha Methodist Church farming competitions, Mr Mesulame comes out the winner - since 1992.

"It has come to a point where people no longer want to compete because they lose hope," he said.

Mua Mesulame [son of Tiu] shows off gigantic yam that was uprooted from the family farm

Mr Mesulame said he wanted to tell people that it was not impossible to grow a yam that could weigh more than 100 kilograms.

"There is a procedure that you follow to grow yams and this helps it to grow very big.

"Besides, my father taught me at a young age how to grow yams and work on the farm. Something that I have been passing on to my children," Mr Mesulame said.

The Nakasi High School principal said he started planting the yams nine months ago.

Mr Mesulame managed to pull out three huge yams, which he estimates to be more than 100kg each.

"Before, I used to give the yams away to family members but now I'm thinking about selling the yams," he said.

Mr Mesulame said two of his children were attending tertiary institutes and he had to think about their future.

 He was thinking of selling his yams at $5 a kilogram.