Saina Primary gets new classrooms

By Gutu Faasau • 03 August 2023, 9:20AM

Saina Toamua Primary School will now be able to accommodate more students with their newly constructed classrooms funded and built by volunteers from overseas.

The school is a recipient of the Humanitarian Experience (HXP) program where youth and adults from America visit other countries to serve in the community over the summer.

Saina Toamua Primary School currently has a roll of approximately 200 and with the two new classrooms, the village can provide education to more children without having the need for them to travel out of the village.

Mike McKinley who is the troop leader of the HXP group said their goal is to change lives through service and that is what they are here in Samoa.

“There’s a group of about 19 teenagers here with us today. There have been four other groups throughout this summer and we have each played a part in different phases of construction,” he said.

They held a dedication ceremony on Wednesday where the team presented the new school building to the community.

“The teenagers who are also the builders have come from the United States of America and made sacrifices by saving up the money to come here and to be able to fund the construction of this project. They themselves have done the labour of mixing the cement, laying the blocks; installing the roofing and the windows as well as landscaping.

“Our hope is that as we go through this work that we can come to know more of the people of Samoa who we have come to love so much while we’ve been here.

“These children can come and learn. They can progress and that they can also remember their friends from America who came here and built this school building.

“Our experience here in Samoa has been wonderful, the people have welcomed us with open hearts and they are willing to share everything with us. Their families, their food, their customs and the gifts we have received have made us feel very much at home.”