Brave single mother Leah Alaga keeps hope alive in Honiara’s alleys, raising her children against the odds.
Being a mother is hard. Being a mother alone, with no one to share the load, can feel impossible.
For 48-year-old Leah Alaga, every day begins with the same quiet determination: to keep her family fed, clothed, and safe, no matter how tough life gets.
Originally from North Malaita and the Langalanga Lagoon of Malaita Province, Leah has spent years carrying both the role of mother and father in their household. Life, she says simply, has been “tough.” Yet her humor and constant smile often hide the weight she carries.
Leah grew up in north-west Guadalcanal with very little schooling. She recalls that the highest level of education she reached was learning to write her own name while attending school in Vuluhe, Aruligo.
“I grew up with my extended family. My father passed away when I was little, and my mother left us when my two siblings and I were still young. Life has been tough navigating it until today.
“What I know is that I attended Class One, and that’s the highest level of education I ever reached.” She recalled.
But a lack of education has not stopped her from hoping for a better future. She explained that her only jobs over the years have been working as a housemaid and a market vendor.
These days, Leah can be found most mornings on the streets of Point Cruz in Honiara, sitting at her usual corner in a narrow space between two walls. There, she sells betel nut, greeting passers-by and chatting with regular customers throughout the day.
She has been doing this for more than two decades, enjoying the company of people on the street and what she believes is the best way to make her day brighter.
“Better days are my everyday meeting people, learning new things, and making friends,” she said. “The future is uncertain with the kind of life I’m living.”
The work is tiring. Some days she wishes she could take a full day off to rest. But for Leah, that is rarely possible.
“I feel like giving up sometimes or just resting for a day,” she said. “But I cannot do that because where else can I find an opportunity that allows me to take weekends off?”
What keeps her going are her children.
“I want a better life for them,” she said.
Raising them alone has not been easy. Playing the role of both parents can sometimes feel overwhelming.
“My two children already completed Form Six, but they are still without jobs. It has been three years since they left school,” she said.
“My last-born had to stop after primary school because I cannot afford the school fees. Seeing my children end up like this is heartbreaking because I wanted them to go further.”
Despite the hardship, Leah tries not to show her stress to her children, keeping her struggles to herself.
“In my quiet moments I pray and ask God for wisdom and direction. That is the only source of strength I have found,” she said.
Leah believes women carry an important role in society one that is often overlooked.
“This is my tough life,” she said quietly, holding back tears. “Life is hard, especially here in Honiara.”
Her greatest wish is that other women and girls will not have to face the same struggles she has endured.
“Education is the key today, and having faith in yourself to make ends meet even if the road is tough,” she said.
For now, she continues to show up every day at her small corner stall, finding strength in faith and hope that her children will one day build a better life.
“You see, this is where I earn my little money to put something on the table for this evening.
“Sometimes I earn about $50 a day, sometimes only $20 or even $10. But tomorrow I will come back again.
“The least I can do is not give up,” she concluded.
And in this narrow alley, with these two walls around her, she has built a wall of hope that keeps her little family going and that’s how Leah relates to this year’s Women’s International Day theme: Rights. Justice. Action for all women and girls.
