New Zealand’s Volunteer Service Abroad (V.S.A.) Chief Executive Officer, Kate Wareham is currently in the country visiting their local partners. 

On Tuesday Ms. Wareham visited Women in Business Development Incorporation.

The Women in Business Development Incorporation (WIBDI) has worked with three volunteers from the V.S.A. since 2016. 

The co-founder and Executive Director Adimaimalaga Tafunai attributed the completion of their building to their first volunteer Gareth Popplestone, who project-managed the construction, according to a statement released by the V.S.A.

Samoa is the first country Ms. Wareham has visited since taking the position as the C.E.O. in August this year. 

She said in the statement she is thrilled to be in Samoa during the celebrations of Samoa’s independence and visiting to understand the goals and visions of its partners.

While borders were closed the Programme Manager of the V.S.A. in Samoa, Fuailelagi (Lagi) Natanielu arranged for a New Zealand volunteer to support WIBDI remotely through its e-volunteer programme. 

The volunteer shared her experience in human resources to support WIBDI to develop their policy and procedures. 

The V.S.A. is New Zealand’s largest international volunteer development agency and aims to welcome volunteers back to work with the private, government and community sectors in Samoa from October this year.

Ms. Wareham will also attend an event hosted by the Governor-General of New Zealand, Dame Cindy Kiro this week to acknowledge V.S.A. partners and over 340 volunteers in Samoa since 1963.