ADRA and the Government of Samoa Partner to Build Houses

Vulnerable families in Samoa are receiving assistance with new housing as part of a partnership between the Samoan government and the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) office in that South Pacific nation.

In 2020 the Samoan government allocated 1 million tala (about US$381,000) from its stimulus package to assist struggling families. ADRA Samoa used the grant to build simple wooden houses for 120 families and refurbish 53 additional houses. 

Earlier this month the Samoan government announced further funding of 2 million tala (about US$762,000) for ADRA Samoa and Caritas Samoa, as part of its Shelter and Hygiene Facilities Program. Caritas has received 500,000 tala (about US$190,000) to construct water tanks, while ADRA has received 1.5 million tala (about US$572,000) to build homes, sanitation facilities, disabled ramps, wash basins, and security fencing for each house. This will support 88 vulnerable households.

“It has been a very exciting period for ADRA in Samoa, especially when we have been able, through the shelter interventions, to make a significant difference to people’s lives, and to help them strengthen their resilience to pandemics and natural disasters,” ADRA Samoa country director Su’a Julia Wallwork said. 

“Most importantly, moving vulnerable families into better dwellings has given them security and comfort, and a better way of life. There are still many challenges, and we have a long way to go in our work to reach out to vulnerable and marginalized households,” Wallwork added. “[But] ADRA continues to look for opportunities to enable us to make a difference. We serve an awesome God. He has opened doors when we thought there was no way out,” she said.

ADRA Samoa will also continue offering its Maluapapa Safe Haven Project in partnership with Habitat for Humanity New Zealand. Funded by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the NZ$3 million (more than US$2 million) project will continue for the next four years, offering training to communities in the Participatory Approach to Safe Shelter Awareness and Build Back Safer programs. The project will also provide funding for those communities to build safer and resilient evacuation centers for disaster preparedness.

About ADRA

ADRA is the international humanitarian arm of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, serving in 118 countries. Its work empowers communities and changes lives around the world by providing sustainable community development and disaster relief. ADRA’s purpose is to serve humanity so all may live as God intended.

The original version of this story was posted on Adventist Record.