OVER the weekend, many children and families have been excited because its Father’s Day.
It’s a time where families came together to reflect and honour the contribution of their fathers in their lives over the past years.
While its an exciting time for many, for others, they don’t get to enjoy such excitement because this day only brought back sad memories about their father.
In our communities there are many families and children without a father.
Its either the father had already passed on in life or moved on to live with another woman.
And this left a huge gap and challenge for many children growing up.
Meet Nickson Rizu, 20, from Marovo, Choiseul and Kolombangara.
He is a young man who has struggled with life as a young man growing up.
His father left him and his mother when he was about 13 years old doing his grade six.
He is the only son in the family.
The mother is from Marovo part Choiseul while the father is from Kolombangara.
His father has been the sole supporter in his education.
He started his education at Kukudu primary school doing grade one to six.
While at grade six, his father left. He was devastated because his father had been a pillar of strength to support him in his education and provide for other needs.
It was a turning point in his life and only depend on his mother since then.
With the little support he had, he went on to do his forms one and two at Kaza community high school on Kolombangara.
With his mother they decided to move back to Marovo.
He went on to do his form three at Patukae community high school.
A year later young Rizu, managed to secure a space at Vura community high school in Honiara where he continued as a form four student there.
In 2022 he transferred to Betikama Adventist College (BAC) to do his form five.
In 2023 he managed to secure a space at Jones Adventist College (JAC) on Vella to do form six science.
In his education journey he was hoping to become a qualified nurse.
However, due to lack of funds and sponsor, he decided to undergo marine studies at the Solomon Islands National University (SINU).
This year is his first year to become a ship captain.
He told the paper yesterday that its likely he will complete his studies after six years.
Despite the changes in his future career plan, he is looking forward to continuing his studies.
He said, his only way out now is to value his education and continue with whatever opportunities that is before him.
He also thanked God for His leading in his life over the years.
As many families spent time together with the fathers on Sunday to reflect on the contributions of their fathers, for Rizu, he said, not having a full time father in the family to support him over the past years, has been very challenging.
But he was grateful for the support his father did to him during his primary school days.
Being the only son, his mother has been a pillar of support for him in his teenage years at high school.
“She supports me financially by selling of food and other products.
“I’m thankful for her support and forever grateful for what she had done inorder to support me despite the challenges we face,” he said emotionally yesterday.
He is also thankful to his relatives for their continuous support in his education journey.
“I wish to acknowledge my family members and relatives for their support to me financially through tuition and school fees,” he said.
This year, he is very thankful that a close relative Albert Kwatelae has stepped in as his main sponsor to undergo his studies at Marine school.
Rizu used the opportunity to encourage other struggling children out there to value their education because it’s the only way out to sustain them in the future.
By MOFFAT MAMU
