Not-for-profit organisation, Brown Girl Woke, has thanked the Australian government for a $10,000 grant to run workshops focused on girls in villages.

The organisation’s founder, Maluseu Doris Tulifau, said they will be working with nurses in the villages to raise awareness on challenges facing young girls including menstrual cycles.

“We hosted our first meetings of the year for Brown Girl Woke at the University of South Pacific (Alafua Campus) and National University of Samoa,” she said. “We want students to know our times, location and also the fact that Brown Girl Woke is a safe place. Currently we have 10 new members to our Brown Girl Woke group. We will be working with nurses in villages to speak to young girls about menstrual cycles.”

The organisation also runs a number of youth-focused programs and partners with former Miss Samoa Sonia Piva amongst others.

“The clubs are youth led so a few programs we have had for the last 2 years also involved our Miss Samoa Sonia Piva, Pricilla Olano, Alexandra Isaako and now we are teaming up with our newly crowned Miss South Pacific Islands,” added Ms Tulifau.

The organisation also runs dance classes, which have been offered for the last two years and is led by N.U.S. students Kieran Ah Sam and Vaimoli Tapelu.

“We would like to give a big thanks to the Australian Government for their assistance and to Ramona Boodoosingh and Moemai Faavaivaiomanu from the National University of Samoa for our collaboration with nurse programs. We would also like to thank the National University of Samoa for allowing us to have a space for Brown Girl Woke within the campus,” she added. 

Ms Tulifau said their programs run for 12 months and its membership is open to anyone.

They currently have a six-month program with families, who lost babies during the measles epidemic, which is led by USP students Lino Williams and Krista Lee.

Brown Girl Woke is a non-governmental organisation which supports youth to engage in service, learn projects in the community, and builds platforms for youth to stay away from abuse, violence, suicide and drug/alcohol abuse. It is also a safe place for survivors of sexual abuse, divorce and bullying.