The village of Apia rejoiced on Friday thanks to a donation of tables and chairs, valued at $6,000, from the Samoa Outreach Community Center (S.O.C.C).

The donation was presented to the Apia Village Mayor, Tuiletufuga Fritz Savaiinaea and another village representative, Leta'a Sulami at the Fatuomanono Laoa, A'ai o Niue. 

Tuiletufuga welcomed the donation saying it will be of great help to the village when they have meetings because they used to hire tables and chairs for their events.

He added that it was fitting the donation was presented at the Laoa o Fatumanono where village meetings are held.

The laoa is the Samoan word for the house of an orator.

This donation is very valuable to the village. Before we hired chairs and tables, but not one, and now we’ve been gifted these and it’s going to be of great help."

He also acknowledged S.O.C.C for the kind donation that will assist with the villages meetings and gatherings. 

One hundred plastic chairs and 10 tables were donated by S.O.C.C.

Theresa Malala, who is the Officer Manager for S.O.C.C., said they were pleased to have been able to help, adding that the donation was sponsored by their C.E.O’s family in Australia.

S.O.C.C delivers educational programmes, upskilling development programmes or sports development programmes. 

"So at the moment we cater to the youth here in Samoa but in the near future, we want to expand and include everyone to help out through our programmes," she said 

The C.E.O of S.O.C.C, Stacey Salasalamaua Tuiletufuga, is based off-island and had sent a message to the village of Apia which was read out by a S.O.C.C representative. Ms Tuiletufuga has family connections to the village of Apia.

"This donation has been supported and funded by my  Tuiletufuga first-generation, aunties and uncles to help provide chairs and tables for our village of Apia," the message reads.

"I pray that this donation of chairs and tables is the beginning of a beautiful partnership between the village, mayor and the Samoa Outreach Community Centre. We are here to support and assist our Samoan community."