Noel determined to raise funds for fees with vanilla

NOEL Womasimbi, 21, has been buying vanilla beans from growers at the Nadzab Market outside Lae since last year.
From East Sepik’s Yangoru, Womasimbi weighs the beans in different categories of A-grade (K150/kg), B-grade (K60/kg) and rejects (K20/kg).
“The bean grades depend on physical appearance,” he said.
“If they are mouldy, they are rejects.”
When he has enough, Womasimbi travels to Lae to sell to other vanilla bean buyers.
“The vanilla market price is not too good,” he said. “Often, I
do not get much of a profit but
I have to keep my business
going.”
Womasimbi said he could not complete his Grade 8 in Wingei Primary School because of financial difficulties.
He moved to Morobe to be with his elder brother Leslie, based in Nadzab, to raise funds so he could complete Grade 8.
The Womasimbi brothers said everyone determine what they want their future to be but “for us, we prefer to occupy ourselves with our market”.