China helps Safotu village

By Deidre Fanene In Savai’i 17 January 2016, 12:00AM

The village of Safotu and China strengthened their bond of friendship yesterday. It happened when the Chinese Ambassador to Samoa, Wang Xuefeng, visited the village to donate $32,000 worth of equipment to the E.F.K.S. Women’s Fellowship.

The equipment included 40 sewing machines, 40 heavy-duty scissors, 40 threads and five rolls of materials.

In handing over the equipment, Mr. Xuefeng reiterated that China and Samoa share a special bond and the gift to Safotu is part of that.

“My wife and I are so impressed by this beautiful island, its scenery and the hospitality of the local people,” he said.

 “These gifts are a part of the friendship between the people of China and Samoa. As you know, last year marked the 40th Anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relationship between China and Samoa.

“It is my job to make friends in Samoa so the gifts are the result of that friendship and it is given in the spirit of love and care.”

Speaking on behalf of the village, the President of the Safotu E.F.K.S. Women’s Fellowship, Siata’ata Tanielu, thanked Ambassador Xuefeng and China.

“I would like to express our sincere gratitude and our big thanks to Ambassador Wang Xuefeng for accepting our proposal and our request for this sewing project,” she said.

“As you have been aware, the intended purpose for this request was to help out the families of our community and our church.

“The majority of the mothers in our fellowship are unemployed and receiving these sewing machines means it will benefit them to sew their own children’s clothes and it comes in very handy now.

“With these machines the mothers will be able to sew their own children’s uniforms and it will also be a great way of earning an income to help their children and families.”

Siata’ata said the sewing machines would help the women of Safotu become professional tailors in the future. 

 “We assure you that we will cherish and make good use of these expensive sewing machines so we can meet and accomplish the purpose of our request.”

By Deidre Fanene In Savai’i 17 January 2016, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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