A group of student donors from all over the United States, who are funding a special project in Samoa, are back and their return will benefit students of Saina and Vaimoso primary schools.

The Humanitarian Experience Program started by building individual and developing families' houses in 2015 and has now expanded its service to the communities by building schools for the children.

The group was welcomed by the Tufuiopa community and entertainers from the Samoa Tourism Authority (S.T.A.) at Tufuiopa on Tuesday with fire knife dances, smiles and food.

In an interview with the Samoa Observer, the local coordinator of the program, John Joseph emphasised the importance of the project on the children's lives as well as families who have already benefited at the start of this program.

"It started from individual families and now it has expanded to the communities that's why we're really grateful to this program and these Samaritans for pouring their love upon Samoan families and children in need," he said. "These youth members in this group are from several states in the U.S. and they are funding this program by paying local contractors to build the houses for the project.

"This is not the only group that will be in the country so they leave tomorrow and another group comes and not only they're here for the program but they are also here to learn how to construct."

According to Mr Joseph, the youth members involved in the program are constructor trainees taking construction academic courses to become builders. 

"In Samoa, even very young kids know how to hold a hammer and hit a nail with it but these kids don't and that's part of their journey, is to learn as they are taking construction courses in the U.S and this will also benefit them, see how the work is done," he said. 

Asked how many schools and families this program has helped, he said he only understands that Nuuausala Primary School is completed and Vaimoso will be completed this year after the long delay due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

"I've only started joining this program around 2017 and I understand that this program has already built very nice classrooms at Nuuausala school and that work has been completed already," he said.