While the COVID-19 pandemic has brought a number of challenges in every aspect of life, a Pacific Harbour couple is defying all odds.

From selling ice blocks from their home a few months back, Rusiate Naulivou and his family have now ventured into the online seafood business.

Lenis’ Island Seafood owner, Rusiate Naulivou says following the closure of hotels and resorts, they lost their only source of income.

“Since we received our letters from the Directors stating that we have to go on leave without pay so there was nothing for us to resort to so we came up with this idea that it’s better we find something that will sustain us in the long run.”

Naulivou says as time passed with no indication of normalcy, he started losing hope.

“It came a time when I told my wife there’s nothing else we can do, I really lost hope, we did lose hope but on the other hand, it gave us courage that we cannot be sitting idle, we have our qualification from a hotel school and we can use that.”

Naulivou’s wife Eleni says the family is now planning to expand their business in the future.

She adds the online seafood business has given them hope and they are now also looking at exporting seafood.