Savaia Village Wins Host a CHOGM Nation Competition

Apia Samoa – 05 December 2024 – The village of Savaia, in the Return to Paradise picturesque Lefaga district, has won the best decorated Host a CHOGM Nation Beautification Competition.

Organized by the Samoa Tourism Authority, the beautification competition drew on the traditional vibrant Samoan community spirit that decorated the villages and kept sanitation as the country hoisted CHOGM 2024 in October.

The village was presented with a $10,000 prize during the awards ceremony at the Samoa Tourism Fale this morning.

Savaia village was allocated to host Saint Vincent and the Grenadines that flew their guest nation’s flags and national colours and other decorations demonstrating a warm and welcoming spirit of the Commonwealth of nations.

Annie Leapai Maioa, the Womens representative from Savaia vilage, expressed heartfelt gratitude after receiving the award. “We thank God for making our dream a reality,” she said. “This was a collective and community effort that went into the preparation, highlighting the dedication of the village’s untitled men and matai who worked tirelessly to create their beautiful displays,” she said.

She said that the total investment in the beautification of the village is approximately $60,000.These included solar lights imported from New Zealand which continue to enhance the visual appeal of the village during the festive season.

Maioa also said that their village had won top prizes in previous national beautification competitions. But they did not anticipate winning the top spot this year due to the effort put in by all the villages.

The prize money will be deposited in the village’s bank account to fund future development projects.

Maioa also emphasized that winning will not stop their beautification efforts. “We will continue to keep Savaia clean and beautiful with our monthly inspections,” she stated.

In other categories for Village Beautification, the inland village of Tapueleele in Savai’i and Nu’usuatia from Upolu took top honours.

The competition showcased the ongoing commitment of Samoa’s villages to preserve their cultural heritage and beautify their surroundings to improve and maintain village sanitation promoting a sense of pride among residents and visitors alike.