A Timely Christmas Message from the SVSG Juniors

By Lagi Keresoma

APIA, SAMOA – 24 DECEMBER 2022:  The Samoa Victim Support Group (SVSG) Juniors put together a special Youth Festival Concert earlier this week that sent a powerful message of support, love, courage and understanding for everyone as they enter the festive season.

It was a timely event as Samoa enters the season of celebration and the SVSG Juniors hoped the messages portrayed through the concert, would have a positive impact on families and the community during the Christmas celebrations.

On the theme: Reviving the Samoa Culture that Supports Male Respect for Women & Girls, to Eliminate Violence, the concert was an attempt to realise the importance of the Samoan culture and traditional values and empowering survivors of violence to make a change and take charge of their lives.

The SVSG Junior believes that traditional Samoan culture supports male respect for women and girls.

Out of 100 youth groups that participated in the year long program, four youth groups were selected to perform at the concert. These included the Fagalii CCCS Youth Group, the Faleatiu SDA Youth Group, the Fusi Safata Methodist Youth Group and a special drama by the SVSG Juniors on the Power of the Last Word.

The Fagalii and Fusi Safata youth group portrayed

A performance by the SDA Safata Youth on the impact of alcohol on a family environment and especially the children.

The SDA Faleatiu youth group presented a powerful message of a rejected pregnant daughter who was on the verge of aborting a life within her.

Being kicked out by a mother and brother, the girl’s option was either to abort the baby or end her life; but the intervention of a Christian doctor saved the day.

The Power of the last Word depicted the story of a woman who feared her husband and she went out of her way to please him to the disappointment of her children.

Silence played a major role in the drama and as much as the children begged their mother to speak up against the abuse, she never did.

The woman died and her final words to her children were to “respect and love one another.”

“Although there were different kinds of abuse portrayed by various performances, the outcomes represent a chance for change and empowerment,” said SVSG President Siliniu Lima Chang.

Performance by the Faleatiu Youth Group.

Guest performers at the concert were Star Search winners Benjamin Solomona and Tenelle Christine Luafalemana.

The Minister for Finance Mulipola Anarosa Molio’o delivered the keynote address and said the Youth Festival is one of the 6 events approved and funded by the Government under its policy roll out to eliminate violence against women and girls.

She said violence against women and girls is a global issue, but breaking the silence, taking ownership of their lives and community into the future and teaching young men to build themselves as future leaders, husbands and fathers can make a change for a better life.