The lifting of the Measles State of Emergency has brought much relief to popular pork bun vendors at Savalolo Market in Samoa’s capital Apia.
Customers both regulars and new have been flocking to the stalls to tuck into the delicious pork buns since the ban was removed a fortnight ago.
Valerie Lavea is one of many small business operators who rely on the sale of food like pork buns and pancakes to meet the needs of her family.
“I’m of course sad that the measles has taken lives of the innocent kids and I give my condolences but as a business person here at the pork-bun place, I’m just glad to see these many customers coming in,” Lavea told Loop Samoa correspondent Talaia Mika.
Asiasi Faitoaga who has been selling pork buns for over one year at the market expressed similar sentiments.
“I mostly am the breadwinner in my family and I have to be honest. During the measles (State of Emergency), our family also had a hard time earning.”
“But today, I’m glad to see these many customers again and my business is back to it’s’ normality,” Faitoaga said.
New Zealand-based Samoan, Sagato Matautia, who was visiting relatives in Samoa, was one of the many customers at the stalls.
“It’s everyone from overseas’ favorite place to eat like for my family, we have to come here and eat some pork-buns or we cannot not eat kekepuaa (Pork-bun) when we leave Samoa,” Matautia said.
Photo supplied by Talaia Mika