A project providing hundreds of vulnerable families with training about leading healthy lifestyles and raising resilient families in the face of COVID-19 is being rolled out thanks to the Australian Government.  

The project is facilitated by the Adventist Development Relief Agency (A.D.R.A.) Samoa.

The project consists of two sets of training on two components: safe motherhood and livelihood.

More than 50 household representatives attended training on safe motherhood on Tuesday held at the National Council of Churches conference room.

The project is funded from the Australian Government to the tune of AUD$500,000. 

The funding is divided between two humanitarian organisations, C.A.R.E. and C.A.N. D.O. (Church Agencies Network—Disaster Operation).

The church agencies selected Caritas and A.D.R.A to allocate funding grants to assist with COVID-19 preparedness programmes.

A.D.R.A. is the lead agency to deliver training focused on healthy lifestyles; safe motherhood; and a media campaign focusing on COVID-19.

The livelihood component promotes good health through diets based on nutritious food grown through vegetable gardens. Participants were told that any surplus can be sold to generate income and assist household finances. 

The project aims to develop resilience among families and arm them with the tools to withstand or reduce the risks of becoming affected by the global pandemic, which has now hit 40 million cases worldwide. 

According to a project manager from A.D.R.A., Leiataualesa Luatimu Samau, the project aims to assist more than two hundred households.

He added that training focusing on safe motherhood includes invited guest speakers from Nuanua O Le Alofa - a disability advocacy organisation in Samoa - the Samoa Victim Support Group, and doctors such as Seiuliali'i Dr. George Tuitama.

“The training aims to ensure Samoa’s resilience especially within communities and they are prepared for COVID-19,” Leiataualesa said. 

“It also covered issues such as the increase of domestic violence within families while under the state of emergency.

“The National Council of Churches has assisted our project by contributing to some families which encourages people to work together, no matter what their faith or religious belief is.”

He also said that more than one thousand women will be trained in food security and nutrition training and hygiene in the context of the panic.

Leiataualesa said that participants will benefit from the training in ways such as hearing from representatives on mental health awareness and to seek counselling in such unprecedented times.

“The project will benefit Upolu and Savaii residents,” he said. 

“Those registered under the project will receive seedlings, tools, training in horticulture, training in nutrition and training in financial literacy so that they are able to save and learn to budget better.

“We have a monitoring project to not only undergo training and receive supplies.”