Vulnerable families in Samoa are being assisted with new housing as part of a partnership between the Samoan government and the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA).
In 2020 the Samoan government allocated 1 million tala from its stimulus package to assist struggling families. ADRA Samoa used the grant to build simple wooden houses for 120 families. Fifty-three houses were also refurbished by ADRA.
Earlier this month the Samoan government announced further funding of 2 million tala for ADRA Samoa and Caritas Samoa as part of its Shelter and Hygiene Facilities Program. Caritas has received 500,000 tala to construct water tanks, while ADRA has received 1.5 million tala to build homes, sanitation facilities, disabled ramps, wash basins and security fencing for each house. This will support 88 vulnerable households.
“It has been a very exciting period for ADRA in Samoa, especially when we have been able, through the shelter interventions, to make a significant difference to people’s lives, and to help them strengthen their resilience to pandemics and natural disasters,” said ADRA Samoa country director Su’a Julia Wallwork.
“Most importantly, moving vulnerable families into better dwellings has given them security and comfort, and a better way of life.
“There are still many challenges, and we have a long way to go in our work to reach out to vulnerable and marginalised households. ADRA continues to look for opportunities to enable us to make a difference. We serve an awesome God. He has opened doors when we thought there was no way out.”
ADRA Samoa is also continuing to deliver its Maluapapa Safe Haven Project in partnership with Habitat for Humanity New Zealand. Funded by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the NZ$3 million project will continue for the next four years, offering training to communities in the Participatory Approach to Safe Shelter Awareness and Build Back Safer programs, and providing funding for those communities to build safer and resilient evacuation centres for disaster preparedness.
