A group of untitled men of Lona Fagaloa, commonly referred to as the Aumaga, have been equipped with tools and equipment to better serve their village council and community.

The Samoa Victim Support Group (SVSG) advised in a media release issued on Wednesday that fishing equipment, farming tools and cleaning materials valued at $4,994 were officially handed over by the S.V.S.G. to the Aumaga of Lona Fagaloa, in the presence of the village council.  

The tools and equipment are part of the Government’s financing assistance allocated to S.V.G.S. to assist with eliminating violence against women and girls through poverty alleviation.

The focus of the Aumaga’s project is subsistence living, serving and earning, through farming and fishing activities to cater for the refreshment needs of their village council meetings. Any access produce are to be sold to finance the Aumaga’s ongoing activities, such as administering the village’s evening curfew and the general maintenance of the village.

According to the spokesperson for the Aumaga, Sagapolu Bruce, the project will impact the families as it has instilled in the untitled men the courage to develop their families. 

“The impact of this project on the Aumaga’s families is that it has instilled in the untitled men of Lona Fagaloa, the courage to live and develop their families, from the land and the sea.  

"While some of them can join the seasonal working scheme, the remaining ones can continue to serve through the work of their hands.”

The excitement as shown by the Aumaga of Lona Fagaloa emphasised the key message by the rest of the five Untitled Men’s Group selected for the Project, that: "O la matou tautua tuavae e malu ai a matou feagaiga." (Our humble service protects the dignity of our covenant).

Reverend Siaosi Samoa of the C.C.C.S. at Lona Fagaloa, blessed the equipment for the Aumaga’s development project.

The S.V.S.G. President Silliniu Lina Chang acknowledged the tireless work by the long serving S.V.S.G. village representatives from Lona Fagaloa, who are behind the strong support from the village council and churches of S.V.S.G. and its community work.