After years of living without access to clean water, a Leavuaa family has been the recipient of a new water tank courtesy of the Samoa Victim Support Group (S.V.S.G.) Juniors.

Representatives of the S.V.S.G Juniors presented and installed the water tank at the family’s residence.

In an interview with Samoa Observer, Vaifale Pito Peres, said out of the several things that their family needs to survive, water topped the list. 

“I think every human knows that we all need water and for our family, we have been depending on our relatives here in Leauvaa for water supplies,” he said.

“But today, everything changes as we’ve been blessed with this new water tank.”

Mr Peres resides at his Leavuaa home with his three children and their many children.

Before the water tank, Vaifale said their family would either depend on their nearby relatives for water supplies or restore rain water in containers which were mostly contaminated.

Living has always been challenging for the Peres family, particularly with utilities bills and income. 

Speaking to the Samoa Observer, the Vice-President of the non-Government organisation, Namulauulu Franziska Sione, said helping those in need was always a pleasure for him.

“This is one of the families that have requested [help from] our group and being able to help them is what’s [very] important,” he said.

“It gives us the best feelings and drives and inspires us with the work that we do and to be able to continue what we do which is helping our families in need.

“We’ve assessed the area before we offered our help and we were convinced that they very much needed water as the water they used to [store water] in containers were contaminated.”

The Peres family is one of 22 families which the S.V.S.G Juniors has helped.

Their assistance is distinct from S.V.S.G.’s main helpline assistance programme, according to Namulauulu.