Community: Untitled Men of Lona Fagaloa Receive Tools as Part of Ending Violence Project
The group of untitled men of Lona Fagaloa, the aumaga, have been given tools and equipment to help them with their daily tasks and responsibilites in carrying out their service to the village council and community.
Fishing equipment, farming tools and cleaning materials valued at $4,994 tala were officially handed over by the Samoa Victim Support Group (SVSG) to the Aumaga of Lona Fagaloa, in a formal ceremony with the village council.
The tools and equipment are part of the government’s financing assistance allocated to SVGS towards eliminating violence against women and girls, through poverty alleviation.
The focus of the Aumaga’s project is subsistence living, serving and earning, through farming and fishing activities and to assist with their role of catering during village council meetings.
The aumaga will also be able to sell any excess produce, to finance ongoing activities such as administering the village’s evening curfew and general maintenance work around the village.
A spokesperson for the aumaga, Sagapolu Bruce said the project has impacted positively on the group.
“It encourages the village youth and untitled men of Lona Fagaloa to further develop their families, with what is available from the land and the sea.”
He said while some of them can join the seasonal working scheme, the remaining ones can continue to serve through the work of their hands.
The aumaga of Lona Fagaloa is one of five village groups selected for the SVSG led untitled men’s project.
The link to domestic violence prevention, is based on the notion that the aumaga’s service protects the dignity of the covenant, or feagaiga between men and women.
“O la matou tautua tuavae e malu ai a matou feagaiga”
Reverend Siaosi Samoa of the Congregational Christian Church of Samoa at Lona Fagaloa, blessed the equipment for the aumaga’s development project.
SVSG President Silliniu Lina Chang acknowledged the tireless work by the long serving SVSG village representatives from Lona Fagaloa, who are behind the strong support from the village council, the churches of the village and the whole community.
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