​For the first time since Samoa Victim Support Group ran the Advocacy Program to rehabilitate men and women offenders of violence referred from the Family Court for counselling, a combined graduation ceremony will be held.
 
The graduation will be take place at the Congregational Christian Church Hall, Sogi on Thursday, 30 November 2017 at 7.00pm.
 
Close to 100 graduates will be awarded with a Certificate of Completion after successfully completing counselling under the SVSG Advocacy Program.
 
The program gears towards behavioral change, giving the offenders of violence a second chance to change for the sake of their families to address family violence. 
 
It is SVSG’s holistic approach to addressing family violence by working with not only the victims, but also the offenders.  Since 2014, close to 800 referrals from the Family and Youth Courts have been attending the SVSG Advocacy Program.
 
The graduation ceremony culminates the 2017 Advocacy Program.  It is a celebration not only for those who have successfully completed the program, but more so for their families, who provided the important support system necessary for the offenders to continue living in harmony with their loved ones.
 
As family, SVSG village representatives in villages throughout Samoa will continue to monitor the progress of the rehabilitated men and women from its Advocacy Program.  At the same time, the graduates from this year’s graduation will join the Alumni from the Program who will advocate for violence free families and communities at the grassroot level.
 
SVSG President Siliniu Lina Chang acknowledges the partnership with the Ministry of Justice and Court Administration in addressing family violence through working with the offenders.

​Close to 50 Samoa Primary School students of the Year 8 Leo Club, visited the children at the Campus of Hope for the first time this week.

Accompanied by the school principal Mrs. Sue Su’a and teachers, the students conducted a prayer service, reminding the children of hope about God’s love and the many other people who love them.
 
The Leo Club is a universal community club.  The word “Leo” stands for Leadership, Experience, Opportunity and the Leo Club encourages youths to develop leadership qualities by participating in social services activities.
 
During the visit, the Year 8 students of the Leo Club of the Samoa Primary School took a leadership role in their social activity at the Campus of Hope, as they lead their prayer service, their talk with the children and their entertainment.  Principal Sue Su’a and teachers are commended for encouraging the students to support other children in need.
 
SVSG President was at the Campus to acknowledge the support from the Samoa Primary School through their visit and donation of fruits.
 
“Thank you so much Sue and the teachers for including a visit to the children of hope in the Year 8 Leo Club’s social activity for this year.  We look forward to continuing this partnership between the Samoa Primary and the School of Hope.”  Siliniu Lina Chang

​They may be from abroad and speak a different language with a different culture, but they share the will to rise up similar to that of the children survivors of violence and sexual abuse cared for at the Campus of Hope.  This week, students attending the Coral Reef Academy (CRA) visited the children at the Campus in a continuing partnership approach to help each other out.
 
Previously, the students from Coral Reef have planted a veggie garden for the children, helped the children with their reading, or volunteering at the SVSG main office.

This week, they were accompanied by Mrs. Donjoe Bryce-Fepuleai and staff to clean up the Campus of Hope compound.  And they did a good job at it, mowing the lawn, sweeping and weeding.  According to one of the students from the Academy, “It feels close to home, I wish someone was there for me before like how these children are well cared for.”
 
Such is the benefit of the continuing partnership between Samoa Victim Support Group and the Coral Reef Academy in Samoa.  It enables the Academy students and the children survivors to encourage each other on, as they each child tries to rise up from the different circumstances in live, they have been through.
 
SVSG President is grateful to the Chief Executive Officer of the Coral Reef Academy for continuing the partnership between the Academy and SVSG.  “Having the Academy students relate well to the experience of the SVSG children of hope is an advantage for our organization’s work to rehabilitate the children.  Thank you so much for the valuable partnership.”  Siliniu Lina Chang

​Children come to us shattered by the horror of the abuse, traumatized by the horrendous rape, pregnant from incest, and numbed from being abandoned by their loved ones.  They entered the Campus of Hope as lost children with lost hopes.  At the Campus, the only shelter facility for children available in Samoa and operated by the Samoa Victim Support Group, our children survivors of violence and neglect are loved, nurtured, and rehabilitated into strong individual heroes that they are.
 
Today, our heroes held hands under the warm sun, in the safe surroundings of the Campus of Hope, appreciating another beautiful day, thanks to the merciful love of our God, for without his favor in their lives, they will not be saved.  SVSG President Siliniu Lina Chang, staff and volunteers joined in the celebration by the children.
 
In prayer, this is the Children of Hope’s way of voicing their support for millions of their peers worldwide who are unprotected, uprooted and unschooled.  It is a solidarity movement by the children residence of the Campus of Hope.
 
The transformation from being voiceless to having the courage to voice a prayer of thanksgiving was just a humbling experience to be a part of.  It highlighted their recovery journey, their resilience and their grateful hearts.
 
Father Eteuati Lapa of the Siusega Parish of the Catholic Church, Deacon and Chairman of the Council of Churches in Samoa Kasiano Leaupepe, experienced this gratefulness when they joined the prayer celebration by the children.  They held hands with an abused child on one side and a pregnant child on the other.  The picture speaks volume for a Family and its strength as one held on to the other, while relying on our Heavenly Father for guidance and support.
 
Speaking to the children after the prayer, Deacon Kasiano reminded them that they are special and are well loved.  The Siusega Parish donation of food and clothing is just their way of reaching out and supporting them while in residence at the Campus of Hope, and in line with the Church’s donation for the poor and those in need.
 
SVSG President expressed her gratitude and appreciation to Father Eteuati, Deacon Kasiano and representatives from the Siusega Parish of the Catholic Church for being part of the Children of Hope’s prayer celebration for World Children’s Day 2017.  “To our children at the Campus, you are our heroes, and you make us all proud today.” Siliniu Lina Chang, SVSG President

​An Executive Member of the SVSG (Junior), Gordon Lemisio today joined the economic empowerment training for the nofotane women at Siumu, in his search for innovative ways to assist the unemployed youth of Samoa.
 
The SVSG (Junior) is the youth sub-group of Samoa Victim Support Group, and Gordon’s mission finds him amongst the unemployed nofotane women of Siumu, wanting to learn from them, their struggles, their aspirations, and their willingness to be economically empowered to support themselves and their families.
 
Over the years, the SVSG (Junior) has focused more on addressing family violence through community awareness programs, anti-bullying programs in schools and outreach programs for the sick children in hospitals.
 
Gordon’s mission therefore takes the SVSG (Junior) further into understanding the problems behind youth unemployment, youth dropped out from school, and troubled youth.
 
And as the Nofotane Project continues in village communities to train unemployed nofotane women on livelihood skills, an interested trend now saw an increasing number of unemployed male youth attending the training in flower arrangement, elei printing, commercial cooking and handicraft.
 
For Gordon, he is a youth male advocate for violence free families and his mission starts with the youth.

​They are mothers, volunteered two days a week throughout the year as facilitators of intervention programs, to rehabilitate mothers involved in violent situations.
 
They have shared, fellowshipped and counseled close to 100 mothers referred to SVSG’s Advocacy program from the Family Court.  And they have influence changes in the lives of these mothers as there has been noted improvement in relations with their husbands, children, parents, siblings and their neighbors; they have learned self-control when in conflicting situations; most importantly, they have been agents of change, advocating for violence free families in their women’s committee, village and church communities.
 
There has been a ripple effect of a mother to a mother dialogue, to influence changed behavior against violence.  The facilitators of the Tina Faufautua Advocacy Program to ending violence attest to this approach, and today, we pay tribute to their motherly love.  They are the heroes among us in the fight to end family violence.
 
The Chair of the SVSG Board Mrs. Georgina Lui acknowledged the commitment from the volunteer facilitators, Mrs. Tutaia Mariner, Mrs. Milo Cordtz and Mrs. Susitina Lene who have been with the Tina Faufautua Program throughout the year.  “Thank you for your patience, for your commitment and for your heart to work for the goodness of others.” 
 
As we round up work for this year, we wish the Tina Faufautua facilitators good health and an abundance of God’s blessings.

​It is with heartfelt gratitude and appreciation that the Chair of the SVSG Board, Mrs. Georgina Lui acknowledges the support from our families, friends and partners, who have answered our call for help during the weekend, which enabled the successful evacuation of Baby Jasaiah Kolise to New Zealand for medical treatment.
 
It has been a race against time, as the mother sought SVSG’s help for airfares on Saturday morning for their planned trip on Monday, the latest.  The father was still in Savaii being the sole bread winner and the mother was helpless.  SVSG immediately appealed to our family of supporters to help out, and they did. 
 
From Australia, New Zealand, the United States of America, East Timor and here in Samoa, our supporters chipped in a dollar or two and by Monday morning, we have collected NZD3,297.00 or ST5,440.05 through the SVSG’s Givealittle page.  We paid for Baby Jasaiah and his mother’s return airfare totaling ST3,982.40 with the balance of ST1,457.65 presented to the mother for their pocket money.  Additional funds received totaling NZD161.50 or ST266.47 will be presented to the father as the rest of the Givealittle donation received for Baby Jasaiah.  God is good and we praise Him always for His merciful love through the generous donors.
 
On Monday afternoon, Father Spatz Silva of the Apia Vicariate of the Catholic Church conducted a prayer service before presenting the return ticket to Baby Jasaiah and his mother for their flight to New Zealand on Monday night, pocket money and additional donations from a newly opened Car Rental business in Apia.
 
It surely has been a race against time and we are humbled by our God’s grace as He continues to provide for us in our times of need.
 
Georgina Lui acknowledges the support from the SVSG family of supporters.  “Thank you for the prayers, the thoughts and the donations.  We have helped in the successful evacuation of Baby Jasaiah, now we ask you to continue praying for a successful operation and recovery.”

​Saturday morning and SVSG Staff found a desperate mother infront of its closed office, pleading for help. Her 2 year old child (Josaiah Kolise), the youngest of her 4 children is in hospital awaiting medical evacuation to New Zealand.
Josaiah is suffering from congenital heart disease and has been admitted at the hospital for more than 5 months. The family requires urgent assistance for airfares for Josaiah, and his mother to assist him in New Zealand. They were going to solicit support on Monday for airfares. Unfortunately, the doctors informed them late Friday that the Josaiah needs to fly to New Zealand on Monday, 6th November for his operation, returning within 3 months.
It is a race against time. The family is from Savaii. The father being the sole breadwinner as a security guard. They have 48 hours to pay for airfares costing approximately NZ$1,920.00 for both of them (NZ$1050 for the mother and NZ$870.00 for the child).
SVSG is advocating to its family of supporters to please help us help this child. At SVSG, we are family and our strength lies in our solidarity.