Samoa Civil Society Organizations Strengthen Leadership Capacity

Apia, 18 February 2026 – The Samoa Umbrella for Non-Governmental Organisations (SUNGO) is hosting a three-day Managing Organizations Workshop for Civil Society Organizations at its headquarters at Vaitele.

The workshop brings together representatives from across Samoa’s civil society members to strengthen organizational management and leadership capacity.

The program opened yesterday with prayer led by Reverend Faapea Elia of the Methodist Church at Vaimoso where he emphasized the importance of unity and the power of scattering for a good cause, reminding participants of the spiritual foundation for collective action and organizational resilience.

The workshop was officially opened by SUNGO’s Chief Executive Officer, Lavea Peseta Lua Nafo’i, who urged participants to embrace the principles of effective management and accountability in their organizations.

Lavea also highlighted the critical role civil societies play in Samoa’s national development and encouraged attendees to use the workshop as a platform for learning, collaboration, and innovation.

Over the three days, participants focused on strengthening governance and leadership practices, improve organizational planning and resource management, foster collaboration and networking among civil society organizations as well as equipping leaders with tools to adapt to changing social and economic contexts.

Lavea said the workshop is part of SUNGO’s ongoing commitment to empowering civil society organizations with the skills and knowledge needed to serve communities effectively and sustainably.