Samoa's sole refuge for abused children has made a public appeal for assistance due to the increase in the number of abused and abandoned children taking up residence. 

The Samoa Victim Support Group's Campus of Hope, which is located at Tuanaimato in Apia, has been home to many of the country's victims of abuse and violence. But the facility has in recent months noticed an increase in the number of abused and abandoned children being brought in. 

There were 72 abused and abandoned children (49 girls and 23 boys, ages 5 months to 19 years old) sheltered at the Campus during May – June 2022; inclusive of 4 babies (5 – 24 months).

For May – June 2023, there are 84 children residents at the Campus of Hope, inclusive of 8 babies (new born to 24 months).

S.V.S.G. President Siliniu Lina Chang told Samoa Observer that the non-profit organisation is concerned about the increase in the number of children being taken in and has started a fundraising drive. 

"It's hence why we need more staff and why we have to look at this fundraising to pay for more staff because not only abused children have increased but the number of babies has increased as well," she said. "So this fundraising is for everyone to lend a hand, whatever amount, and anything you can assist us with like someone who has already put dips on selling 200 cupcakes and the money comes to us.

"The campus has improved a lot despite that and so we feel that we should step up our service and by doing that we need enough staff and enough resources to cater for the demand.

"For the victims of domestic violence, we need enough resources for their safety and that's paramount for us on our part because of their mental vulnerabilities. As such, we are calling on your patronage. We are reaching out to you as a family. We are appealing to you as supporting partners."

Statistics on the number of children currently residing at the Campus of Hope were not provided to this newspaper as requested at the time of going press. However, among the lives being saved through the work of the S.V.S.G. include: sheltering close to 6,000 victims of gender-based violence, and supporting them seek justice; providing rehabilitative counselling for close to 3,000 offenders of family violence referred from the Family Court as a holistic approach to addressing family violence; receiving and responding to close to 20,000 calls through its 24-hour free helpline from members of our community requiring assistance since 2015; and successfully lobbying for legislation changes in Samoa. The most notable ones included a submission to criminalise domestic violence and life imprisonment for offenders of sexual abuse of children under 13 years of age. 

However, it has been years of struggles and blessings for S.V.S.G coupled with a journey of hardship and achievements, according to Siliniu. She described their journey as one of sacrifice, criticism, and sometimes loneliness while providing a support service very much needed by the vulnerable members of the community. Those who will be donating to S.V.S.G. online fundraising will be announced with their donation on 29 September 2023 as an acknowledgement of their alofa (love). 

The S.V.S.G. has launched an online fundraising drive to keep its office doors open to serve the vulnerable members of our community; to provide shelter, rehabilitation, education and empowerment programs for abused women and children; to be the voice for the voiceless; to advocate for relevant legislative changes that protect the rights of vulnerable people; and to raise community awareness on ending violence for a safer Samoa.

Over the last 18 years, the demand for the support services of the S.V.S.G. continues to grow and the group has earned the community and the development partners' trust as a child-safe organisation, and in the Pacific region as a women-led human rights activism organisation.