A programme called "Christmas in Disneyland" was a big hit at the Congregational Christian Church of Samoa at Vaitele-uta as the congregation joins Samoa in counting down to Christmas.

The event was organised by the Vaitele-uta Reading Association (V.U.R.A) and was held at the C.C.C.S Vaitele-uta Hall on Tuesday.

Students and participants dressed up in their favourite Disney characters and took part in literacy-related activities.

Leader of V.U.R.A, Tauvela Fagasua told the Samoa Observer there are four groups in V.U.R.A called Matthew, Mark, Luke and John and each group had a category of Disney characters during the programme.

Various activities were held during the programme such as tongue twisters, drama and a pageant.

According to her, skits were involved in the programme to get the students used to talking, spelling and reading and was an opportunity for them to show their talents.

V.U.R.A was established in 2015 after Mrs. Fagasua saw the need of literacy improvement because according to her, some children in her parish who were in year 6 to year 8 still did not know how to spell their name or read.

The reading programme had offered to teach the children on how to read in both English and Samoan, which is done every Sunday evening.

When asked how much has the reading programme helped the children with literacy, she explained that there is big improvement.

"From year three, year four, year five up to year eight they now know how to read and write," she said.

With the reading programme divided into 4 groups, Mrs. Fagasua stated that students who have graduated from the National University of Samoa are "helpers" who assist here with the reading programme in terms of English while she teaches the students Samoan reading using the Bible.

The closing of the 13 Days of Christmas at Vaitele-uta will be on Thursday night so a Christmas drama that was done during the programme will be added to the list of performances on Thursday night.

“We also had a drama last night, it’s a Christmas drama because we have the closing of the 13 days of Christmas tomorrow night, which will be added to it because there are three sessions of the programme so the choir will be first and then it will be the Sunday school,” she said.

Mrs. Fagasua gives thanks to the parents for the support, and she hgad furthere revealed that many participants of the reading programme have been successful in school in achieving the top 3 in the class.