Community

Government Supports Crucial Work of ADRA and Caritas Samoa to the Tune of $2 Million Tala

February 8, 2022

173

The Government of Samoa has shown it’s commitment to the work of two humanitarian organisations who have helped countless vulnerable families over the years.

The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) and Caritas Samoa are not-for-profit organisations focused on helping livelihoods amongst the most vulnerable. Their work has been ongoing for decades, and they are particularly visible in their community work to help people recover after natural disasters and tragic incidents.

Speaking at a special ceremony held last Friday to launch Samoa’s Shelter and Hygiene Facilities Programme as a partnership initiative between the Government of Samoa, ADRA & Caritas Samoa, the Minister of Finance Mulipola Anarosa Ale Molioo said Government is fully committed to supoort the work of ADRA and Caritas Samoa.

“This programme as it is in line with the Government’s strategic priorities and ensuring that the most vulnerable in our communities are provided the assistance in improving their homes and livelihood during these unprecedented times”.

The Adventist Development and Relief Agency International is a humanitarian agency operated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church for the purpose of providing individual and community development and disaster relief. It was founded in 1956, and it is headquartered in Silver Spring, Maryland, USA.

“ADRA Samoa exists to serve and care for the needs of people with no preference for race, gender or religion and we aim to “make a difference one life at a time””.

ADRA Samoa was started by the Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Church as the church’s humanitarian arm. ADRA Samoa does not prothelyse but exists in order to serve and care for the needs of people with no preference for race, gender or religion.

Caritas Samoa was founded in February 2008 and became a full-fledged member of Caritas Internationalis in 2011. The collection of Pacific islands which form Samoa has a population under 200,000.

Caritas Samoa works in close partnership with Caritas agencies, international relief organisations, as well as the Samoan government’s National Disaster Management Office to provide assistance and training where needed. In 2012, after Cyclone Evan hit the Pacific Islands, knocking out power and destroying more than 1000 homes, Caritas Samoa partnered with Caritas agencies to provide immediate emergency relief provisions, such as food, water and generators for lighting, to thousands of people in Samoa, Fiji and elsewhere. Part of the aid included utilizing Caritas Samoa’s basement hall and three other centres, in partnership with the Red Cross, to provide shelter to more than 1000 people. In addition, Caritas Samoa also distributed emergency relief items from six pre-positioned containers-four on the main island of Upolu and two on Savai’i, to provide hygiene kits, jerry cans, tarpaulins and kitchen sets to help families establish temporary shelter and homes.

Apart from its work on emergency response, Caritas Samoa also provides assistance to low income families by providing food and clothing, promotes capacity building initiatives for women and helps with the improvement of rural waters supplies.

Minister’s Speech at Launch

I welcome and acknowledge the presence of our Hon. Deputy Prime Minister, Hon Cabinet Ministers, Heads and Representatives of ADRA and Caritas Samoa and Representatives of Key Ministries.

It gives me great pleasure to have you all here today for the signing of this Shelter and Hygiene Facilities Programme in partnership between the Government of Samoa and ADRA & Caritas Samoa.

The Government is fully committed to continue this programme as it is in line with the Government’s strategic priorities and ensuring that the most vulnerable in our communities are provided the assistance in improving their homes and livelihood during these unprecedented times.

In collaboration with ADRA & Caritas Samoa, the Government has allocated $2 million tala from its budget in the current FY2021/2022 for this programme.

This Governments assistance through ADRA and Caritas Samoa will:

1. Boost the livelihoods of the most vulnerable families identified by building secure shelters for homes,

2. Improve living conditions and provide proper sanitation facilities for families’ protection against Covid-19 and other related diseases,

3. Equip families without access to water with water tanks to better adapt to natural disasters & emergencies.

To conclude, I would like to thank the charitable work carried out by ADRA & Caritas Samoa over the years for our people and their heart to take up this programme with the intention in continuing to help our vulnerable people and families.

God bless.