Women of the Congregational Christian Church of Samoa at Samata-i-Tai in Savai'i have embraced a Samoa Victim Support Group (S.V.S.G.) juniors programme invoking cultural traditions to end domestic violence. 

The S.V.S.G. has been conducting workshops in different villages across the island, creating discussions and finding solutions to eliminating gender-based violence. 

The workshops are being held under the thematic umbrella: "Revive, Respect, Breaking the cycle of Violence,"

The church at Samata-i-Tai was the venue for the second day of this week’s community outreach project this week bringing women in the village together to share their views and experiences. 

The wife of the church’s minister Samata-i-Tai, Tofa'ifa'alua Taumate, told the Samoa Observer they were delighted to have an opportunity to engage in such a programme. 

"We have been working in partnership with the S.V.S.G. for quite some time and we appreciate and support them and the work that they do," Mrs. Taumate said. 

"The significance of this programme is that it brings the young ladies together. It provides a platform for them to share ideas and also discuss ways and experiences in trying to eliminate violence within our families. 

"And when I say young ladies, it includes those who are married into the village and the ones who are originally from the village and are already married and have children of their own."

Mrs. Taumate said that the programme provides the opportunity for women to showcase their talents. 

"The programme also encourages our young ladies to make good use of the different talents they have in terms of handicrafts and things like that,” she said. 

"So the workshop offered the opportunity for them to showcase their work and to motivate them so they can put their talents into good use to earn extra money for their families."

Mrs. Taumate is a strong believer that collective effort is the key to problem solving.  

"If we really want to find solutions and to end violence within our homes and families, we need to work together,” she said. 

"We need to come together, support the programmes that are in place, and push our people at the grassroots level."