“The P.M. seemed really interested and was very happy we decided to set up in Samoa. We talked about future projects like medical and nutrition and he agreed that this would be a fantastic idea” – Katy Woolley
The spirit of volunteerism is alive in the heart of South Pacific with the Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi backing the work of Projects Abroad.
Established in 2012, Projects Abroad Samoa is a non-profit charity that deploys volunteers from abroad to Samoa to help Samoa. They work in places like schools, kindergartens, Football Federation, Samoa Rugby Union, Fiamalamalama (School for children with disabilities), Animal Protection Society, the Mental Health Trust, Samoa Observer, Epenesa Mae Ole Fesoasoani Physiotherapy clinic and more.
“We’re human resources…people come to projects abroad when they want to work in a developing country in all different aspect of teaching, care, medical work, human rights, conservation so we have different projects in different countries depending on the country’s needs,” Projects Abroad Country Director, Katy Woolley, shares with the Samoa Observer.
“We had a meeting with the PM and during the meeting we basically had a chat about Projects Abroad and the work we do here.
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“The PM seemed really interested and was very happy we decided to set up in Samoa. We talked about future projects like medical and nutrition and he agreed that this would be a fantastic idea.
“The knowledge and the education of the volunteers will help educate them (recipient community) and give them new ideas and in turn the volunteers learn much from the Samoans as well.
“We don’t want to change anything, to change the culture; we want to assist as much as we can.
“When we started in 2012…we would talk to the Ministries (Health, Education), we tried to identify the areas where they need our help, obviously the rural area are the most in need.
“That’s a bit difficult to have volunteers because all our volunteers are with host Samoan families and it’s very far out for them.”
Projects Abroad Samoa will be working will the Red Cross next year and they hope to work in Rural Communities in the future.
They currently have 13 volunteers working under their care projects. Volunteer work ranges from two weeks to six months depending on the project to be undertaken.
Social Worker Ine Hugo from Belgium volunteers in two projects. Her schedule includes; on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays-Kindergarten and on Thursdays and Fridays-the Goshen Trust.
She shares her observations “I come from Europe where everything is very structured, we have classes of maybe 15 people/children here its 70 or 80 children” Hugo said. “People are very friendly and they’re open to listening to you. It’s not so easy to implement changes but it’s easy to talk to them.”
“People are always glad to receive knowledge… if you’re not capable to go to school but you still care for an organization to do something… I think they are very appreciative if someone comes over to share their knowledge.”
“It’s very interesting for me to go to Goshen, I must say I was really surprise that in Samoa, there is an organization that works on mental health, and they have three very good programs. I have been to other countries and I have not come to an organization that has that.”
“Here I learned that family is so important, caring is so important.”
Projects Abroad volunteers are aged from 16 to 75. “Gap year volunteers and recent graduates still make up our largest numbers, but increasing numbers of volunteers join us in the summer holidays before starting university or while still in the 6th form at school or college.
Many career breakers join us to take some time out volunteering and increasingly retired people also choose to spend some time on our projects,” Ms. Woolley added.
“Volunteers choose Samoa because of the natural beauty of the island; the incredible world famous hospitable people and they want to help individuals, communities and vulnerable people. These volunteers pay to come and work for free, assisting in many different capacities that have short and long term impact on Samoa. “
“I really want the Samoan nation to know who we are and how we are trying to help Samoa.”
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