Who We Are

The SVSG Juniors are a sub-group of the main SVSG.  It is basically SVSG's Succession Plan. ​

SVSG Juniors provide youth the support, as well as be a part of a group that believes with the right attitude, passion, faith and determination, can develop and be able to help those in need in our community.

SVSG Juniors bring together youth from various communities and organizations the opportunity to connect with each other while simultaneously volunteering.  SVSG Juniors consist of passionate and enthusiastic young individuals who hold full-time jobs and volunteer their free time to help others and be a part of this group.

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svsgjuniors@gmail.com

You cannot control what happens to you, but you can control your attitude toward what happens to you, and in that, you will be mastering change rather than allowing
it to master you. ~Sri Ram

How we came about and what direction we are going towards…

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SVSG Juniors came about when the Samoa Victim Support Group as well as SVSG Juniors’ original members identified a need to have a team of young mentors or young people that other young people would be more comfortable to relate to, confide in and interact with. The idea of SVSG Juniors was born on the basis that like SVSG Juniors members – there are many other young individuals out there who want to step up, take part in helping our community, to make a difference in the lives of other young people, to have the opportunity to be the voice of other young people in organizations such as SVSG and to probably be able to carry on the great work done by SVSG later on.

What We Do…
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• Facilitate community-based projects targeting the youth in the community
• Coordinate fundraisers to help support the organization
• Plan ideas and get together with affected youth in SVSG’s care living in the SVSG shelter, which include activities such as swimming, picnics, sports at the park, arts & crafts, etc.
• Assist and represent SVSG activities and events
• Counsel affected youth who come in for assistance, as youth feel more comfortable expressing themselves with someone their own as

Why Target the Youth?
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Our intent is to connect with the youth, as they are the victims of most crimes.

With the youth with whom we work and do projects, we request that they act as youth ambassadors against violence and indecent acts to their respective schools, their peers, and the other youth in their communities, while linking them to the SVSG’s already established adult representatives in their respective villages.

How you can be a part of this…

SVSG Juniors is always on the lookout for young passionate individuals who would like to help out, take part in our projects or just want to be part of something in this community. If this group sounds like a group you would be interested in, then feel free to pick up a Volunteer Registration form from our main office behind the Police Central Station.

SVSG JUNIORS
VISION:
Raising up Young Leaders and Uniting Samoa’s Youth to work alongside each other in contributing to making a difference in our community and nation

MISSION:
 To empower youth to know their worth, strength and purpose
        To inspire youth to rise up, lead, and contribute to our society
        To encourage youth to connect to a CAUSE greater than themselves

 GOALS:
         To bring together youth from various communities and organisations to work alongside each other and help each other out
         To implement projects that meet the needs of our youth as well as our community in general
         To educate our youth in what is going on in society and how they as young leaders can contribute to making a difference

​EMPOWERING THE YOUTH OF SAMOA 

SVSG JUNIORS are proud to report that our Empowering Youth for Tomorrow Conference 2013 was a great success!!! Close to 100 youth leaders from 18 different youth groups from around Apia gathered at the SDA Lalovaea Hall last weekend, where they were inspired to rise up and Make a Difference in their society. Each group participated in workshops and activities empowering them to know their worth, purpose and strength, defining leadership and what leadership means to them, connecting to a cause greater than themselves and then going out and be the voice for other young people and reach out to those who may be struggling. 
They were all presented with gift packs and a tshirt to thank them for their contribution within their youth groups and communities. This would not have been possible without the generosity of our local buisnesses and family abroad who gave generously towards the CAUSE.
Thank you for choosing to invest in our future leaders of tomorrow! Svsg Sydney, Svsg Samoa, Medical Specialist Clinic, Laura Le Rose, Janets Samoa, Business Systems Ltd, Pacific Water Orchy, Digicel Australia, Pacific Delights, Immanuel Youth, SDA Youth Vailele, Samoa Stationery Books, and anonymous donors!! We could not have done this without you! Fa'afetai, fa'afetai lava! Chris Sablan Patty Perez CeCe Theodor Lyn Robertson 

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​Many were starting to wonder, “What happened to the SVSG Juniors?”  Well wonder no more, we would like to introduce to you our new executive team for the SVSG Juniors:
 
President: Carmenita Solaese / Vice: Rahmat Faumui
Secretary: Aiga Malo / Vice: Ianeta Sa’u
Treasurer: Akenese Fonoti / Vice: Vincent Laumoli
Sports Rep: Vailolo Farani and Ken Sonny
Supporting Members: Temukisa Faumui and Nofovaleane Alatupe
 
The former SVSG Junior President Mr. Nathan Ryan together with their executive members have progressed onto the main SVSG, while the young ones continue with the youth group.  Mr. Ryan is mentoring these young volunteers so that they will not lose sight of why they have put up their hands to volunteer.
 
At the moment there are thirty members of the SVSG Juniors and it will continue to grow as long as you want to start putting up your hand to engage in your community in a meaningful way. Contact any of these members of the executive or the office to join the juniors and you are set to go. We welcome you all as you will most likely be the future for the SVSG as young people are fresh and they come with new ideas to improve. Always remember that this group was not established by experienced older people in the community. It was established by a group of young people fresh out of law school, who did not know anything at the time but only saw pain that they did not think existed in Samoa because of their privilege upbringing. So it was an idea born from young people.
 
An upcoming project which SVSG thinks is suitable to be led by the SVSG Juniors is the new classroom proposed to be built by students from a school in the Gold Coast who have been fundraising for four years for this project. The students will be travelling to Samoa later this year with a team of builders to build their new classroom, an addition to the school of hope on the campus of hope. Who better to meet these students and work with them then our youths in Samoa, the SVSG Juniors.  So it is an exciting time for the SVSG Juniors and we hope that you will put up your hand to join this new and exciting group. 

THE TEAM

Here is a look at why some of the youths have joined the SVSG Juniors

Carmenita Solaese -
​President

I joined SVSG Samoa not because someone told me to join, but because I want to fight for what I wish to see in Samoa in the future. I fight for the women and children who went through a very rough path because of domestic violence and sexual abuse in their homes. Love does not leave bruises, abuse is not love, and violence in homes is not LOVE. I am passionate in making a change not for myself but for the youth of SAMOA as we are future leaders of tomorrow.  I want to empower those who were traumatized and are victims of such crimes as this is not the end of the world. There is HOPE for OPPORTUNITY and HOPE to live and dream a better life than who they were before. I fight to help build them to become stronger and be better than yesterday, as I believe that they never chose this life of being victimized, they deserve to live a normal life like you and me. I am Carmenita Fogamanono Solaese 24 years of age, eldest of  3 and a graduate of Chongqing University of Post and Telecommunication. As I always say to myself every day I am here for a purpose and God placed me in SVSG. I believe that part of my journey in life is to be in SVSG. ​

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Aiganofofealofani Malo - Secretary

My name is Aiganofofealofani Malo from the village of Laulii, a female of 23 years old and currently working for Transam Samoa Ltd as an Accounts Receivable Officer. It is a great honor for me to join SVSG Juniors as I am so passionate to learn and help those in need, help with problems they face, especially the sexual victims. I believe this is a change in my life as I have always taken the time to party and go out but not lending  a helping hand and participate in the activities conducted to help out in the community.  It is so heartbreaking seeing the youth (of my age and the young ones especially the girls struggling with fear and abuse by their cousins, uncles and fathers and I will stand up and speak up for these victims and make sure they speak up to tell the truth.  I will help any way I can to help those in need.  Nevertheless I hope to encourage other youths out there to join and be the change by helping out.

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 Temukisa Faumuina - Supporting Member

Joining SVSG Juniors as a volunteer is an excellent opportunity to be part of a network made of young adults who are passionate about making a change; through various initiatives put in place to end the perpetuation of violence against our women and children.  I grew up seeing violence being accepted and swept under the carpet by people with respected titles, through the use of “ava fatafata.” This I believe has been one of the major challenge in efforts towards putting an end to domestic violence. Although I very much value our culture of respect, I believe that it should not get to the point where perpetrators are not accountable to the damage they cause. I am a young female of almost 24 years old; graduate of the University of Otago in Politics and Tourism and am passionate about making Samoa a harmonious place free from abuse for our women and children. I will be taking on an additional degree in LAW in the hopes of understanding and in learning more ways that our women and children can be protected in the eyes of the law, for the years to come.

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Nofovaleane Tuugamau – Supporting Member

​My name is Nofovaleane Tuugamau born 9 December 1991. I was born and raised in Upolu before our family moved to Savaii for village commitments. I am currently working at the Development Bank of Samoa main office Apia as a loans officer. This job is aligned with my academic qualification which is a Bachelor of Commerce majoring in Management and Economics. I live at Moataa but during the weekends I travel to Sili to visit my parents. My hobbies include playing rugby during the weekdays and agricultural development where I work hard to cultivate our plantation in Savaii during the weekends. I am very ambitious and am balancing work with part time studies at the University of the South Pacific pursuing a Postgraduate Diploma in Governance. I believe that education is the key to success and thus I will continue to progress academically so that I continue to be the breadwinner of our family and secure a good and promising future.  My passion is helping others whether it be financially or emotionally. The reason I joined SVSG is because I believe in the miracle of moral support. It is important that we as a community help one another so I want to be an advocate of social welfare and wellbeing of others. The best way to do that is to be a member of SVSG organisation which is a vehicle of social development that allows people like myself to engage in community work and offer services to those in need.

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Ianeta Sa’u –
​Vice Secretary

My name is Ianeta Sa’u and I hail from the village of Falelauniu. My mother died of breast cancer in 2011.  Reading the newspaper and watching the news everyday is my motivation for joining the juniors group seeing and reading through on how our young generation is becoming the main issues in the news everyday.  There is either rape, violence or child abuse everyday on the news and its becoming a life threatening to everyone.   I have joined this group to voice out my opinion and my interest in lending a hand and help out with the victims that are suffering and in need everyday.
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Vincent Laumoli –
​Vice Treasurer

​Laid back and chill kind of guy but probably the easiest to approach, always up for whatever the weather may be. Good Samaritan, washed up athlete, especially a gifted rapper. Just living one day at a time with a bowl of ice cream, afraid of roller coasters and heights. Grateful to be a part of a team of young people who are not just thinking about themselves, but also of others.