The mothers of child vendors who used to sell goods on the streets of Apia have begun a livelihood skills training program run by the not-for-profit organisation Samoa Victim Support Group.

The training will empower the women to become resourceful and productive while learning new skills to alleviate poverty, reduce domestic violence and in the process contribute to the economy through their income generating activities, according to a media release that was issued by the SVSG on Friday.

The training program will attempt to replicate the successful economic empowerment program known as the Nofotane, which has been run by the SVSG since 2016, as a preventative approach to addressing gender inequality.

"Today’s training started with making sei accessories from rubber materials.  The trainer is one of the stars born from the empowered Nofotane Program," reads the SVSG media release.

"From designing the petals to cutting, to coloring to creating different beautiful flowers, the learning process is just the beginning of the empowerment journey for these unemployed women.

"And while these mothers are going through a transformation process themselves, their children have been removed from vendoring on the streets, back to the classrooms where they rightly belong."

The SVSG statement said the finish products following the training will speak volumes about the creativity of the women attending the training. The colorful creations literally highlights how the women’s self-esteem, boost their confidence to break barriers of poverty, hardship and discrimination while on their journey of empowerment.

The SVSG President Siliniu Lina Chang said supporting the parents of child vendors is part of a wider strategy to eliminate violence against women and girls.

“Removing the child vendors from the streets while supporting their parents with positive discipline parenting and livelihood skills building, are part of the activities implemented by SVSG through the financing assistance from the government, to eliminate violence against women and girls," she said. 

“And as the Project rounds up for completion at the end of the year, SVSG is appreciative of the meaningful changes being made in the lives of the targeted beneficiaries, through the Men and Boys Against Violence Program."