Surrounded by family and friends, Mohini Pillai recently celebrated the opening of her new law firm in Suva Fiji.
After years of hard work, study and navigating through difficult challenges, she has finally realized her dream of opening her own firm.
Mohini was born in Etatoko, Ba, a small village in Western Viti Levu, Fiji. As a one-year old and the youngest of nine, she lost her mother, leaving her father to raise her with family members assisting. Her dad passed away when she was 18.
After completing her secondary education, Mohini studied at Fiji Institute of Technology in Ba where she received a diploma in Secretarial Studies.
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She joined a law firm as a junior clerk, gaining practical knowledge of law as she worked in that role.
Some years ago, with the encouragement of her husband, she decided to attend the University of the South Pacific to obtain her Certificate in Law and then Bachelor of Law Degree.
During this busy and challenging time at law school, Mohini learned to organize her days and weeks as a busy wife and mother.
Household chores, meals and children’s studies became a shared responsibility with her husband and children.
A devout member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Mohini has a deep and abiding faith.
“Faith is what I relied on . . . when I did not have time to study and when I did not understand my school work, I left it to the Lord to help me through,” she says.
Mrs. Pillai considers her husband to be her role model. “His counsel and encouragement gave me the strength to keep going when I wanted to give up.”
Her message to young people, especially girls, is: “You can have a good life ahead of you in finance and integrity. There is no age barrier to education, and it will keep you abreast with daily happenings. Education will aid in being self-reliant—which is one of the teachings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”
Watch a short video on the importance of education: