S.V.S.G. partners with Digicel on plastic ban

By Soli Wilson 03 February 2019, 12:00AM

Samoa Victim Support Group (S.V.S.G.) has teamed up with Digicel Samoa to get the country moving towards phasing out single-use plastic bags. 

The group employed two participants of their Nofotane initiative to sew tote bags at the S.V.S.G. main office – which started on Monday – to replace Digicel’s usual plastic shopping bags.

According to S.V.S.G. spokesperson, Marie Ilalio, this is how S.V.S.G. is supporting the plastic ban, along with Digicel.

“There will be the bags Digicel use for their shopping because plastic bags aren’t accepted anymore. But it’s especially good for these women to get money to help their families.”

“Digicel got in touch with one of our guys and so we made arrangements and so right now they provide the fabric and elei, all we have to do it cut and sew,” she said.

Designer and one of the tailors sewing the bags, 33-year-old Luisa Sauileao, said she is glad to be a part of this project.

“This is a very important thing because it can be washed and it won’t be thrown away easily because it lasts long unlike plastic bags which are also a very bad thing, it’s harmful to our ozone when burnt.”

“I’m one of the people who burn plastics when there are too many around but I learnt it was bad for our planet and we see the changes in the weather; we feel the extremely unusual heat of the sun,” she said.

“This is why this project is great, to just stop using plastic. Because when it ends up in the sea, sea animals are killed.”

“These shopping bags made form fabric should also be a message to our people to use what we have, we can sew our own bags, instead of buying plastic bags that will be thrown out after one use; save your money and save the environment” Luisa added. 

By Soli Wilson 03 February 2019, 12:00AM

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