A group of Samoan women based in New Zealand has answered the prayers of a vulnerable family from Satalo, Falealili by providing a local university student with scholarship assistance.

Leitu Afasene received the donation. Her father, Onofiatele Afasene, told the Samoa Observer that the scholarship would cover his daughter’s fees for a semester. 

Ms. Afasene’s scholarship is worth $1,176 to cover her fees for a semester at the National University of Samoa. She is in her second year studying as a student in the Faculty of Arts.

The donation was from the Alofa Charity and coordinated by Levaoatuamaaana-Aati Schuster, a former director of the Samoa Victim Support Group (S.V.S.G.) Auckland sub-group.

Onofiatele said being an S.V.S.G. village representative for Satalo led him to contact  the group for help with his daughter’s tuition for this year.  

The answer came through a group of committed Samoan mothers, who have been supporting S.V.S.G.’s educational welfare programmes for children from underprivileged families: the Alofa Charity.

The 45-year-old father of six said that this is the first time that her daughter has received a scholarship.

“Our family is trying to make ends meet but we cannot afford to send our child to school,” he said.

He also added that the assistance is rare and was a once-in-a-lifetime chance.

“We are not employed, my wife and I but our family depends on our plantation selling taro, bananas and looking after our elders,” he said. 

“But this is not a stable way to earn a living because sometimes we do not earn any money at all from selling taro or banana.

“During these times with the COVID-19 pandemic, it has impacted our economic pathways and sources of income.”

He has four children still attending schools including his eldest daughter at university.

“This assistance is like an angel coming to answer our prayers because my daughter was close to not continuing her education because we could not afford to send her to school,” he said.

Ms. Afasene’s commitment to complete her education despite all odds is her expression of love for her five younger siblings.

“I am studying harder so that I can get a job to support my siblings through their education,” she said.

The Chair of the S.V.S.G. Board, Georgina Lui, thanked the donors for supporting the educational needs of children of underprivileged families in Samoa. 

“We greatly appreciate you all,” she said. 

The charity group is composed of ten women, who have been donating to S.V.S.G. for several years.

Their charitable contributions range from paying student university fees and even uniform sponsorship. The charity has also made financial donations to S.V.S.G. for the measles epidemic and COVID-19 to assist in helping families that have been affected. They also donated $3,000 to the Mapuifagalele Old People’s Home.