An Auckland chapter of the Samoa Victim Support Group has officially launched, with hopes of raising more awareness and support for vulnerable children in Samoa.
Transcript
An Auckland chapter of the Samoa Victim Support Group has officially launched, with hopes of raising more awareness and support for vulnerable children in Samoa.
The Auckland group raised over 12,000 US dollars for the group, and presented the cheque to its president, Lina Chang, at a launch dinner over the weekend.
Leilani Momoisea reports.
The Samoa Victim Support group provides services and shelter for victims of sexual abuse and domestic violence. It also has a home for more than 30 children, and a school which educates more than 60 students up to the age of 19. An Auckland volunteer, Jamie Su'a, says it is important that the Samoan community in Auckland joins in the fight to help abused children back home. She says the money they raise will go towards providing a future for those children.
JAMIE SU'A: Providing them with a home, or shelter, a roof over their head. Food to feed them to get by, schooling. Just providing the basic necessities as well, and giving it to them, because obviously they don't have it. Lina and her crew has stepped in and provided that for them, so it's maintaining that.
The founder and president of the Samoa Victim Support Group, Lina Chang, says there is always a need, and the need keeps getting bigger. She says the more awareness they are able to create, the more accepting people are of the work they do. And she says there's a great difference in attitude now, compared to when they first began nine years ago, where people didn't want to give anything to towards the cause.
LINA CHANG: There's the belief now, that what we are doing is right, in comparison with before, why are we interfering with the work that we shouldn't, why don't we go and look after our own families? But now we're very happy, in the difference in attitude and the real acceptance now of these children now in society.
She says of utmost importance is looking after the sheltered children, but they also need to equip them to survive in the outside world too.
LINA CHANG: We won't be around them forever, and the shelters also still have to have space for the new ones coming in. The only thing that we have to do is to provide enough education for these girls to move forward.
Sene Lima began as a volunteer with the Australian Samoa Victim Support Group. She became so affected during the times she volunteered at the SVSG shelters, that she decided to move back to Samoa. She says one of the biggest needs is people on the ground.
SENE LIMA: The more we raise awareness, even in Samoa for people to speak up, they're coming foward, but we need that help. Not only physically, but also financial assistance to be able to make it go forward, because obviously money talks.
The Auckland SVSG says it is important it helps, so that the work the SVSG is doing in Samoa can be sustained and continued. The Samoa Victim Support Group will be celebrating its 10 year anniversary in March next year.
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