62 P E O P L E
PEOPLE
Living the dream in Santo The owner of Santo Heritage Tours is a true local success story, with two decades of growing the business under his belt. I was born in Luganville on Santo on 14 November 1966. My parents had their own land at Hog Harbour, where they grew their own vegetables and caught fish. I spent my childhood in the water, fishing and playing. We had no power or running water but we got to hunt pigs and catch fish whenever we felt like it. Life was good. I finished school in Year 6. That was the only formal education I had. My first job was cutting copra (coconut) as a 15-year-old. I used to sit in the copra paddocks watching cars and trucks go by and I dreamt of being able to afford my own. It took me four years but I saved VT100,000 (AU$1,080). I learnt how to drive and eventually left copra cutting and Today Timmy Rovu operates five buses and two 4WD trucks.
started working as a driver for the Santo Meat Packers. After three years, I bought my first taxi. I employed a local to drive it for me and it earned VT10,000 (AU$108) a day. I couldn’t believe it. I kept working at the Meat Packers for another year and quit when I bought a second taxi to drive myself. I started Santo Heritage Tours in 1991 and took my first tourists to Champagne Beach. I learnt how to be a tour operator from the tourists and I learnt English from them, too. My business plan saw me upgrade and add to my car fleet every four years. I have had 15 buses and trucks since I started. Now we operate five buses and two 4WD trucks. My only regret is that my parents are not here to see our success. By Timmy Rovu PEOPLE
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