BY JOHN HOUANIHAU
Diane Joshua ventured into Cassava gardening in year 2018 to support her in her study at the Solomon Islands National University.
In 2019, Diane was a former Teacher in Training (TIT) -early childhood teacher at Palm Drive Seventh day Adventist school in east Honiara.
Currently, Diane Joshua is upgrading her Primary teaching program under the Distance flexible Learning Centre at the SINU Panatina Campus.
In 2010 things aren’t go well for Diane while she was doing her secretarial studies at SINU Kukum Campus, she got pregnant and got married, not able to finish her studies.
“We resettled here at Betikama in 2017 and started planting a cassava farm in 2018. I usually harvest after seven months, my first harvest was done May this year.
“Right now I have 6 cassava farms. Most of my orders comes from my client who runs a small restaurant somewhere in Honiara.
She said that her client can order $100 per 20 kilogram bag of Cassava and often rang her when his supply is low.
“I can remember from our last harvest on May this year where he ordered a total of four bags for his restaurant,’’ She said.
“I can earn $100-00 to $200 per day when I sell my cassava at the Central Market. However, if my other clients make an order, I can earn $300-00 to $400-00 per day. It is right to say that my earnings depend on how many bags of cassava my customers and my clients purchased,’’ she said.
Diane stated that she attend her tutorial classes twice a week and spend the other days in her cassava farm.
“This allows me time to do other things apart from my school – a time to do the gardening, or study and do assignment at home. So, I utilize my time according to my school Schedule.
“Like I have said, my cassava garden, apart from my husband’s earnings is what helped me a lot to continue with my education at SINU,’’ said the 30-year old mother.
Diane started her two years course upgrade in 2019 and will complete this year 2021.
