​Due to severe weather conditions with tropical depression affecting Samoa this week, the Nofotane Market scheduled for Thursday, 28thFebruary 2019 has been postponed to Friday, 8thMarch 2019at the Malaefatu Reserve, Sogi.
 
Thank you so much Samoa for your continuous support of the economic empowerment of the nofotane women.
 
We look forward to seeing you on Friday, 8thMarch 2019to bear witness to the sustainability of the income generating activities of the nofotane women, courtesy of the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives.
 
Be a part of someone’s story who broke through the silencing barrier of domestic violence through economic empowerment.
 
Invest in the livelihood of nofotane women who choose to make a permanent change for generations to come.
 
Have your part to play in a life that is choosing to change its course.

​They were once without a voice, but now they are making decisions together with their husbands for the wellbeing of their families.
 
They were merely housewives who looked after the children and attended to what ever was needed in their homes.
 
Today, they are self-employed nofotane women, who are helping their husbands with the family’s financial needs; with the children’s school fees, the family’s medicals, contributions to the church,
 
Today, a change has been sustained.
 
Over the past six months, SVSG in partnership with the Canadian government through the Canada Fund for Local Initiative, have worked together to see that local nofotane business earners were able to maintain the fire and passion that burned within them to use what was in their hands to create a better tomorrow.
 
With challenges such as markets, time management and product development, these women showed great determintation and attended further trainings to see that the changes they had made in their lives were able to be sustained.
 
It therefore calls for a celebration of the nofotane women’s perseverance, commitment and empowerment.
 
It is in this connection that Samoa Victim Support Group, invites everyone to the Nofotane Marketto be held on Thursday, 28thFebruary 2019at the Malaefatu Playground Sogi, from 8.00am – 6.00pm.
 
Be a part of someone’s story who broke through the silencing barrier of domestic violence.
 
Invest in the livelihood of nofotane women who choose to make a permanent change for generations to come.
 
Have your part to play in a life that is choosing to change its course.

​What she wasn’t able to achieve in her short life, she managed to do so in her death.  
 
“….. let it end with me …”  was part of Rosa’s message of hope that resounded louder and clearer at the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints Fasitoouta, as church leaders from the LDS Church, the Catholic church, the Assembly of God and the Methodist church gathered with families and villagers from Fasitoo-uta, to learn and to be inspired by her young life of suffering and perseverance.
 
Samoa Victim Support Group is a family in mourning as today, the Group farewelled one of its dear children, Rosa, who at 18, had lived anything but a normal life.  
 
As her older sisters from the Campus of Hope carried her coffin to her final resting place, the young survivors themselves vowed that it was not her tiny body that wore them out, but the weight of the message that she had left.
 
“Children should grow up safely within their own family environment. I wasn’t.”  Rosa’s message of hope, as read out by Siliniu Lina Chang, SVSG President, touched her village, from the church leaders to the family leaders; they heard Rosa’s message with humility and an acceptance of responsibilities.
 
Bishop Alavine Tuala of the LDS Church Fasitoo-uta who lead Rosa’s funeral services was speechless as the impact of Rosa’s message finally hit home. “What a pity that she had to suffer alone; that it has to take her death for all of us to come to terms with what she went through. “Now I know how important the work of Samoa Victim Support Group is because they took Rosa in as their own up until she was called home. They require all our support.”
 
For Rosa’s grandmother Uesa, she carried Rosa’s bitterness with her. But as her voice wavered in emotion, she loudly declared the last of Rosa’s message, “I’m calling on all the parents to please love your children.”
 
As SVSG left Rosa at her final resting place, we were disheartened.. Who wouldn’t when we heard and saw for ourselves the impact of the abuse Rosa suffered; in the cries of her siblings, the weeping of her grandmother and the sobs of those that her life had touched. 
 
But as God is our Lord and Savior, there is always hope. SVSG will continue to share Rosa's message of hope through our work. Rest in love dear Rosa.

​It was a new day and a new beginning for five child vendors who are now attending school for the first time in their lives, thanks to the generosity of their sponsors.
 
At the Vaigaga Primary School yesterday, three children ages 7; and two children ages 8 and 9 became part of the Year 3 and Year 4 classes respectively, as they eagerly anticipated their lives as children in a classroom.  From the school principal’s perspective, the children have been allocated to their classes according to their ages to avoid any awkwardness if they are placed in Year 1, given that they have never been to school before.  The school however, will pay close attention to their academic needs as they slowly go through their learning experience.
 
According to the SVSG Junior Vice President Franziska Sione, who coordinated the enrolment and the children’s first day at school, “there was an excitement amongst the children as they held hands going into their classrooms.  At one time, one of our young scholarship recipients cried for her mother and the other 2 in the same class with her both started to cry.”
 
The five out of twelve children were identified in the outcome assessment of the Buddy Up Program implemented by Samoa Victim Support Group with funding support from the International Labour Organisation in January this year. The Program targeted child vendors buddying up with youth members of the SVSG Juniors, in an effort to get the child vendors out of the streets and back to school.  30 child vendors partnered up with youths during the Program.
 
While Faustina Aperaamo earlier secured a scholarship courtesy of Eli & Wyndi Tagi of New Zealand and is now attending Vaigaga Primary School, the two of the additional scholars have their education sponsored by the TACT of New Zealand thanks to the generosity of Levaoatuamaaana Aati-Schuster and her Team. The other three scholars have been sponsored by an anonymous local donor.
 
We have 6 more children eligible for primary education still awaiting sponsorship to be enrolled in school.  If you would like to make a difference in the lives of these children, please call SVSG on telephone 25392 or email svsginsamoa@gmail.comfor more information.  The scholarship covers obtaining birth certificates for enrolment, school fees and uniforms for each child per year.

​An 18 year old victim who was under the care of Samoa Victim Support Group since late September 2018, has been called home; but not before she shared a message of hope. In tribute to her bravery, SVSG is sharing her message, hoping that it will save another young girl’s life
 
Rosa’s world was shattered when she was 12. Her experience was a violation of her dignity that caused her to choose either to stay silent and bear a burden beyond her maturity, or speak out and seek freedom. She chose to speak out.
 
For 6 years, Rosa continued to fight for her freedom; and over those six years, she learnt how to be strong in ways beyond her years.  But as years went by, Rosa’s voice grew dim, and the effects of her burden was evidence by her illness.  
 
SVSG noticed from the start that something was not right with Rosa.  She was pale and weak.  She was angry and bitter.  SVSG advocated for justice for her while at the same time, referred her for medical check-up.  
 
We saw the pain she went through; we saw how she wanted to be brave to hide the pain, even up to when she had a stroke late November, which paralyzed her whole left side.  She continued to fight; Rosa wanted to live. She had dreams.  She had aspirations.
 
When Rosa was told in December of her possible evacuation to New Zealand for a medical operation, she was hopeful.  Rosa had the will to live; however, the medical specialists’ assessment received late January confirmed otherwise.
 
With the odds against her, Rosa continued to fight for her right to live. Who do we turn to at such hard times? Through prayer, SVSG and its family of supporters throughout the world uplifted Rosa to the God of miracles for His healing.  Thank you so much to SVSG’s supporters for the prayers which undoubtedly eased the pain for Rosa, while it makes our journey less lonely.
 
Thank you also to the Police and the doctors at the National Health Services for all that you have done for Rosa.
 
Before Rosa passed away, she shared her story in the hope that another child victim of rape would not have to bear the silent burden that she had had to carry – “Let what happened to me ends with me. In a Christian nation, children should grow up safely within their own family environment.  I wasn’t.  As such, I’m calling on all the parents to please love your children.”
 
Please share Rosa’s message of hope as a tribute to her life of bravery.
 
Rosa has boldly given her statement to the Police and her case is coming up in March.
 
Her funeral services will be held on Thursday, 14thFebruary at 10.00am at the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints, Fasitoo-uta.
 
Rest in love dearest Rosa.
 

​Close to 30 nofotane earners in Savaii travelled as far as Sasina, Faletagaloa Safune, Satupaitea, Saleaula, Samalaeulu, Puapua, Lano, Siufaga, Fogapoa, Faala, Salimu, Vailoa and Vaega to attend the 7thself-esteem session for the Canadian funded project that was held at the SVSG Tuasivi Office.
 
Despite the long distance to travel, the nofotane women gathered to share on the successes of their new business ventures following the Nofotane Project they previously attended.

Some have set up canteens at the village schools selling banana, taro and ulu chips, pork buns and a variety of bakery products.  Others have delivered their woven products such as fans and bags to the village shops, while the rest have mastered the different elei design and printing, and have tried to complement these with sewing.
 
What came out clearer from the nofotane women’s sharing was their confidence, which SHINES through their testimonies, making the self-esteem workshop all the more exciting for them.

And the inspirational speaker Mr. Oloapu Kaisarita, the SVSG village representative for Vaiafai Iva, related well to the women’s improved self-esteem.  As a businessman himself, Oloapu spoke about hard work and perseverance.  “It is through the work of these hands that financed my children’s education, put food on our table, and enabled me to contribute to the church and the village.  If you do not work, I’m sorry but you are not yet empowered socially and economically.”
 
With the nofotane earners improved confidence, they openly discussed the challenge with the limited markets available for their products in Savaii. Most of the earners are however grateful of the demand for their products from overseas buyers requested through the SVSG Office.  One of the objectives of the Canadian funded project is to link the nofotane earners to relevant market affiliations such as WIBDI, SAME or the Samoa Business Network. Through these market affiliations, the nofotane earners will be adequately supported.
 
“A nofotane woman will always be a nofotane; the project is not attempting to change this aspect of our culture, but merely aims to ensure sustainability of being empowered because a strong, proud and successful community, does not tolerate any form of violence against women.”Siliniu Lina Chang, SVSG President