Community
SVSG’s 20 Years service gets Vodafone’s Nobel Peace Prize Support
By Lagi Keresoma/
Apia, Samoa – 23 April 2025 – The Samoa Victim Support Group (SVSG) has come a long way and is celebrating its 20th anniversary in June 2025.
Established in 2005, it was an initiative of a young lawyer, Mauga Precious Chang, who saw the need for a service to cater and protect the victims of domestic violence and abused mothers.
As an employee of the Office of the Attorney General then, she was part of the prosecution team that prosecuted perpetrators of domestic violence and physical abuse.
She saw not only the increase in the number of domestic violence incidences, but the vulnerability of women and girls who suffered from abuse. Some of the victims had to endure the abuse as there was no escape from their spouse and sometimes from the family.
A conversation between Mauga and her mother Siliniu Lina Chang resulted in the birth of SVSG in 2005.
Siliniu said she was reluctant at first because she was not sure how to go about it, but the push from her daughter and the need to help won at the end.
SVSG first operated from a small office at the Government building and later relocated to Motootua where they rented space from the Housing Corporation.
As the organisation grew, so did the need for a bigger space and later secured land from the Government where they are currently situated at Tuana’imato and their service extended to sheltering abused, abandoned and vulnerable children.
In the early days of SVSG, Siliniu, a former policewoman, brought in former police women colleagues to start SVSG programs and one of their first cases made headlines.
Lawyer, Mauga Precious Chang, who in 2005 saw the need for a service to cater and protect the victims of domestic violence and abused mothers.
The court case that opened doors for women to report domestic violence
The case involved a father who sexually abused his daughters and granddaughters and SVSG investigated a complaint by one of the granddaughters and lodged a case in court.
For the first time case in Samoa, a perpetrator was sentenced to serve life in prison for the crime committed and the presiding Judge at the case was Lesatele Rapi Vaai, now the President of the Lands and Titles Court.
The case was a turning point for the people who saw SVSG as a haven and 20 years later, SVSG is working collaboratively with the police in not only taking legal actions against perpetrators, but counselling and awareness programs programs for couples.
Launching the 20 years celebration
In a press conference today, the SVSG Board Chairperson, Tanya Toailoa said one of their achievements was seeing families rebuild, the Nofotane programs which helps develop women in villages economically, awareness and counselling programs and establishing a shelter for children.
One of SVSG’s greatest achievements is women and girls coming forward and reporting domestic violence and abuses against them.
“Twenty years ago, women were afraid to report cases to the police out of fear of their spouses and family pride,” said Tanya.
There was also no shelter or refuge for abused women then.
Today, people are conscious of SVSG and their services which has sometimes put them (SVSG) at odds with the police who believe SVSG is duplicating their (police) service.
Tanaya clarified that Police and SVSG has a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) as partners in working collaboratively in making Samoa a safer place.
Opening the Queen Camilla Pre-School of Hope in the SVSG Campus in October last year.
Campus of Hope
The Campus of Hope is often visited by visiting diplomats, organisations locally and internationally, churches, youth groups, businesses and even political parties who have donated to the work of the Campus.
One of the donors to the campus is the British Government and Her Majesty Queen Camilla visited the campus when she was here with King Charles for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) last October.
The Campus of Hope is often mistaken for an orphanage.
SVSG founder and President Siliniu clarified the difference between the campus and orphanage although there are similarities in programs provided for the children.
She said the children at the campus return to their families after a certain period with the program and after SVSG assessed the family situation. Some children are adopted out with priority given to the children’s relatives. There are also children adopted to families abroad.
According to Tanya, the campus is currently housing 80 children including those with disability, and over 4000 children have gone through the program.
Some of them are doing well academically and professionally in sports.
“We also support them in finding employment after leaving the campus at the age of 21,” she said.
Activities for the 20 years celebration
SVSG is currently engaged in some of the activities to mark the celebration but there are still more to come.
Some of the activities in the pipeline include Poster & Speech Competition, Mother’s Day Poem Competition, Nofotane Public Market, Amazing Race Competition open to the Public, Special Service at Cathedral Mulivai, Celebration Parade, SVSG Forum and SVSG 20th Anniversary Ball.
Tanya said the theme “20 Years of Partnerships, Saving Lives & Accelerating the Future” is a celebration of a milestone where everyone is welcome to join in recognising the significant contribution that SVSG partnerships have had in supporting the work of SVSG within the community.
Vodafone’s Nobel Peace Prize
Vodafone is the major sponsor for the celebrations and they have even initiated several activities and competitions to celebrate the work done by SVSG.
They signed a sponsorship contract agreement of ST$42,000 with SVSG for the event and also announced a Nobel Peace Prize as part of promoting the organisation’s work in its 20th anniversary.
Vodafone Chief Executive Officer Rana Bose said they share the same values with SVSG and will continue to support SVSG’s work.
Nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize are open with criteria to be publicized by Vodafone in due course.