The residents of Vaipuna launched an initiative promoting the benefits of a healthy and clean environment on Saturday.

The project, worth more than, $4,000 enabled the village to buy ten rubbish stands to facilitate the proper disposal of waste and combat littering. 

In an interview with the Samoa Observer, the village mayor for Vaipuna and Levili, Tauasa Ronny Aukuso, told the Samoa Observer that the project aims to beautify the environment in promoting a healthy living. 

Tauasa said the country has various programmes to promote the beautification of its villages by ensuring it has a clean environment that will also promote tourism sites. 

“We thank the Government for this initiative and because our village is located in the town area we also promote a healthy lifestyle to combat communicable diseases to ensure the protection of everyone,” he said. 

The village mayor for Vaipuna and Levili also added that before these projects did not include non-traditional villages [nuu le mavae] it was only for traditional villages [nuu mavae] but we are grateful that the Government has accepted us.

“We, the village chiefs and fathers support the women’s committee who has been spearheading this project.”

He acknowledged the support from the Government for recognising their non-traditional village through projects they have either received or are eligible to claim.  

One of the village's woman representatives, Vaimoana Seumanutafa, said that via support from a Government programme through the Ministry of Women, Community and Social Development (M.W.C.S.D.) they were able to secure funds for the project. 

“The project aims to uphold a healthy and clean environment for our village and its people but also for the country as a whole," she said. 

“The significance of this project is to ensure a healthy lifestyle for all but to keep our village clean and make it more attractive.” 

She said that Ministry of Women granted them more than $3,000 and their women’s committee topped up that amount to more than $4,000.

“We hope to expand this project but it comes down to monetary funds but we will look into this for the future," she said. 

Ms. Seumanutafa said while there were various projects presented to them as options from by the Ministry of Women such as improvement in vegetable gardens; or elei printing, “but we chose to have the rubbish stands to be located around the village to beautify and promote cleanliness within our community.”