New vehicle for non-government organisation
The Samoa Conservation Society (SCS) has been given a boost to its conservation work with the Yazaki Kizuna Foundation donating a brand new vehicle.
A ceremony was held at the Mt Vaea Reserve on Friday with the non-government organisation accepting a brand new Ford Ranger double cab pickup for its conservation programmes and outreach work.
James Atherton, President of the Samoa Conservation Society, thanked the Yazaki Kizuna Foundation and said the gifting of the vehicle was a Godsend for them and would make their work much easier and efficient.
“We no longer have to search for suitable rental vehicles or use our own vehicles to conduct our fieldwork,” he said. “This will have a tremendously positive impact on our small society and give us greater reach to our project communities as well as more efficient delivery of conservation awareness programmes throughout Samoa.”
The Assistant CEO of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Seumaloisalafai Afele Faiilagi emphasised that this partnership was more than just an alliance.
He said it was a shared commitment to safeguarding Samoa’s rich natural heritage by working hand in hand in achieving more significant strides in biodiversity conservation and ensuring the well-being of the environment and communities.
The Yazaki Kizuna Foundation was established in 2018 in order to give back to the people of Samoa for their support of Yazaki E.D.S. Samoa over the past 26 years.
Junichi Kitami, Managing Director of the Yazaki Kizuna Foundation, noted that the word “Kizuna”, refers to the connections or bonds between people.
“The name of our Foundation reflects our desire to connect Japan and Samoa, connect Samoan people, and support the development of Samoa. We hope that our grants will help SCS activities efficiently and effectively.
"We are very happy to see that beautiful natural heritage and environment in Samoa and our "Kizuna" continue to be passed on to the next generation."
The ceremony was attended by representatives of the Yazaki Kizuna Foundation, the SCS and the MNRE at the Vailima Botanical Gardens, where SCS and MNRE work closely on conserving and showcasing Samoa’s flora to the general public.