A 57-year-old mother, who had a violent husband and lived in an abusive relationship, has expressed relief being part of an anti-violence workshop.

Naitua Maiava of Tanugamanono, who is one of 40 women participants attending a Teen Challenge Samoa–run workshop themed around violence against women and children, said on Tuesday that she found the workshop very useful as a victim of domestic violence.

She said she was a victim of domestic violence perpetrated by her former husband and the workshop has given her a sense of relief.

"My husband used to beat me up. The pastor said that a father is the one who should work and the mother should assist,” Ms. Maiava told the Samoa Observer. 

“But my husband was none of that, he also had affairs and was violent. Now I feel relieved through this program. 

“It has enabled me to forgive and carry on with life as a mother to the children. But he [husband] is no longer with me. I was able to let that go with courage.”

The participants at the workshop, which was run at the Teen Challenge Samoa’s premises, are mostly from around the Apia township area with one from Savai’i.

Teen Challenge Samoa Chairman and Apia Harvest Church Pastor, Amosa Pouoa told this newspaper that they get about 1,000 case referrals a month from the Courts.

“And out of that 1,000 only four have gone to jail and two have reoffended so there is a record to state that our program is about 99 percent successful," he said. 

"We got a call from the British High Commission because they saw the good work we are doing so they asked us to send them a proposal.

Pastor Amosa, when discussing the type of programs they offer, said they are also looking at rebuilding and restoring family values by refocusing the priorities within the church.

"So we also want to look at how Samoans used to have a'oga faifeau in the past,” Pastor Amosa said. 

“When I was a child I was good at mathematics because after school I went to the pastor's house to learn maths.

"We want to remind the community of the value of the church in the communities. 

“Our church structure is God first, then families then the church so the church is there to build people and support them.

"Our next outreach will be with the schools especially the Years 12 and Year 13 because that is a critical time for the teenagers. 

“That is the transition years for a child and we want to talk and counsel them into knowing where they can reach out for help.

"Our church helps youth look for employment so we have principals and ACEOs in government, who contribute to the sustaining of the church.”

According to Pastor Amosa, their church has believers who provide support back to the church and thanks to their contributions raise funds for programs run by Teen Challenge.

“It is through our believers that programs like these are enabled as we now make about $12,000 tala a week from the charity of the followers. 

“They pay 10 percent which goes towards the developments like Teen Challenge. Soon we will also be extending more workshops into the villages. 

“We do that because we want to get to know the families and their realities. 

“We also do follow ups so the Assembly of God in the villages of Upolu and Savaii have agreed to help bring people to their centres so that we can come to run workshops and talk to families.” 

Teen Challenge Samoa’s volunteers were also acknowledged for their contribution to the programs run by the non-profit organisation with Pastor Amosa praising them for their work.

"There's volunteers like Pauline and Faumuina who get paid 200 tala per week by the church as the funding we get does not include their salary. 

“But if you see how they work, they are like angels, always happy to serve.

Faumuina Manu Samuelu, who is the Teen Challenge Samoa Program Manager, said he previously worked for Government as a teacher and was also a secretary to a Minister and has since returned to the non-profit organisation.

Teen Challenge Samoa Country Director, Pauline Elijah, thinks highly of their work and sees it as so important that she looks forward to going to work every day to make a difference in people's lives. 

"The counsellors are plenty and proficient. I see how people's lives are changed and it makes my heart sing," she said.