Eager and bright-eyed children from the Campus of Hope looked on and then participated in the fire knife dancing classes extended to the them by the Siva Afi Club.

Samoa Victims Support Group, (S.V.S.G) with the assistance of the International Labour Organization, (I.L.O) were able to host the event. For many of the children who are already facing trauma, this was a perfect getaway.

Leota Lene Leota, along with Siva Afi International champion 2022, Vaela'a Iloa were there to show the children how to roll the knives without fire first then to do it as the art is meant to be performed, with fire.

Several children were gathered in front of the House of Hope verandah. Under the guidance of Vaela'a Iloa, the children first learned how to spin the sticks and then they were shown the next steps.

Me Tusipepa Vavau, a caregiver of the S.V.S.G said the children had a great time with the Siva Afi Club and it was the second time this has happened since she was there.

"I have been here for a year, and this is the second time the Siva Afi Club has done this while I am here. The children really look forward to it," she said.

"I can tell that they are excited about it, as some of them talk about it all the time. 

"There is happiness on their faces. While we know these are children that come from not so good circumstances, the Siva Afi gives them joy and hope," she said.

I.L.O coordinator for Samoa, Laufiso Tomasi Peni said this is part of the I.L.O's support of child vendors and children who need to be empowered and bring out hidden talents. 

"We hope that these fire knife workshops help the children of S.V.S.G to also make the international platforms that have been part of the Siva Afi club's success which we know is how Lene Leota made person of the year last year," he said.

"He nurtured underprivileged kids to attain such high aspirations, so that now they are secure and self sufficient as fire knife dancers."

Vaela'a Iloa the winner of the Siva Afi International competition in 2022 and walked away with $20,000 in cash was a child street vendor himself. He said that he was blessed to have come by Leota when he was only a child looking for a better pathway. 

A father and a husband with a bright future in the art of fire knife dancing, Vaela'a is proud to help the other children who remind him of how he was when he was a young boy. 

"When someone helps us, we have to pass that onto others. We have to give others hope," he said.

The Siva Afi Club visited the Campus of Hope last Friday.