Walking Catholic priest collects $100,000 tala for school hall

Story by Lance Polu and Photos by WTMedia

SAVAI’I ISLAND, SAMOA: TUESDAY 15 DECEMBER 2015: He has done it twice. Walking the length of Savaii Island, the bigger of the Samoa group of islands – a total of over 210 miles. In the process, he collected $100,000 tala to build a school hall for the Don Bosco Vocational Center at Salelologa.

The walk took four days, and the priest was accompanied by a group of senior students and supporters, crawling slowly through the villages as people donated whatever they can. The businesses on the island donated well. The same as businesses in the main island – Upolu who made their pledges through the Walk For A Hall telephone network.

Completing the walk last weekend, Father Mosese acknowledged the support and announced that he had at the time $93,000 cash and was expecting to cross $100,000 (with money already pledged) by this week.

Last year, father Mosese walked the length of the island and raised enough money to buy a ready-made bus to pick up and return the students home after school.

The number of students grew quickly and the Samoan fale that was used as a school hall became too small, hence the fundraiser for a new hall.

Father Mosese and his walkathon supporters