Volunteers make a difference at Si’ufaga, Savai’i

By Deidre Tautua – Fanene 19 February 2018, 12:00AM

Students and teachers of the Seventh Day Adventist Primary School in Siufaga, Savai’i, have a lot to be thankful for.

Last week, their newly renovated school building was up and running again after a Volunteer Group from Australia completed renovation works on the school building.

According to a representative from the Volunteer Group, Muagututi’a Vailolo Siutu, the cost of the renovation was more than $50,000.

He told the Samoa Observer that the church requested for someone to fund the renovation of the school and one of the church members, May Schwalger, who also works at the church’s development programme, heard the call and acted immediately.

“She is based in Australia and so she put up a call if any of us who are in the church wanted to help,” he said.

“So about 18 of us answered the call and most of the people from our group are the students of the churches theological college in Avondale, Australia.

“So we all started fundraising. We had to pay for our own air fares and everything and at the same time fundraise for some financial assistance to help the project.”

Muagututi’a added this was the first time a group had volunteered to come and conduct such a project.

“We arrived here on January 31 this year and because of Tropical Cyclone Gita, the project was delayed, but we managed to finish it.

“It took us one whole week to finish the project and just last week Tuesday we managed to have a small ceremony to bless the new building.”

But that’s not all the group did for the school.

“When we first came, we were told that it’s only Year 7 and Year 8 who have desks and chairs,” he said.

“The school told us that they only need about 50 desks, but we didn’t agree with it.

“So we told them that for every class, there will be desks and chairs from Year 1 to Year 8.

“So we donated 100 desks and 120 chairs to the school, which for the extra 20 chairs, will be used in the teachers staff room as well as the principal.

“Not only that, we also donated 10 new computer machines for the school’s lab, which there were only five computer machines in it.

“The students are enjoying their newly-renovated rooms with new desks and chairs as well as extra computer machines to help the students learn.”

The group had already left last week Saturday.

By Deidre Tautua – Fanene 19 February 2018, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

Upgrade to Premium

Subscribe to
Samoa Observer Online

Enjoy unlimited access to all our articles on any device + free trial to e-Edition. You can cancel anytime.

>