The Patty project

November 18, 2015. Today, I experienced heightened anxiety and frustration. Let me share with you why.

I have been working diligently with the SVSG team in Samoa to organise a domestic violence awareness campaign. While the planning process has been relatively smooth, the execution has presented challenges.

In my previous experience, I have worked with NGOs with the necessary funding to implement projects and programs within the community. However, in Samoa, I volunteer with an NGO that lacks funding and relies solely on volunteers and donations.

Most of the donations received are specifically designated for the children under the care of SVSG, which is terrific and also greatly needed.

However, it is essential to note that funds are necessary to operate shelters for 68 children to manage the administrative side of running these facilities.

This includes paying staff members such as accounts personnel, case workers, child protection officers, and the CEO. Additionally, funds are needed to cover expenses such as electricity, phone bills, internet connection, fuel, stationery, equipment, and office furniture.

To provide some context to my feelings of anxiety and frustration today, it is crucial to understand that to bring about change in a community, early intervention, community development, and awareness programs must be implemented.

Unfortunately, we have run out of yellow paper to print our information brochures.

As a result, I have no choice but to wait for the generosity of others to donate a ream of yellow paper or for our staff to exhaust their contacts in hopes of acquiring some (and patience is something I’m not great at).

As you can imagine, if we do not have paper, we will not have enough materials to supply 100 villages with the required banners for the campaign.

Furthermore, we cannot afford the 200 black markers and pens necessary for our village representatives to register participants for the campaign and complete their activities. If we were back home in Australia, where resources and supplies are plentiful, then we wouldn’t have the issues we face here in Samoa.

Given my current circumstances in Samoa as a volunteer with two children and no income or savings, social media is the easiest way for me to raise awareness. Yes – I will plea to those on my contacts list, hoping that a good samaritan may see my post.

If I were here on vacation, I would likely purchase everything needed for the awareness campaign. However, the reality is that I am a volunteer, and my financial resources are limited.

By 4 pm, my frustration had peaked, and I shared my feelings with Lina, friend, mentor and founder of SVSG.

Lina appreciated my honesty, and we discussed the importance of awareness campaigns. She explained how SVSG has sometimes only relied on donations and fundraising efforts over the years, given the limited funding available in Samoa.

At this moment, I began to truly understand what it means to be an NGO in a developing country without financial support, relying solely on the generosity of others.

Despite the challenges, giving up is not an option. I have witnessed enough during my time here to recognise the urgent need for awareness campaigns, education, and change.

Early intervention is crucial, even if many do not fully grasp its significance. Supporting projects like ours, which aim to make a difference in the lives of many, and to a certain degree, takes precedence over solely providing food and clothing for the children. (Is there a possibility that if we drill in the message of safety in the home, then there may be a possibility that the number of children leaving their homes due to violence may decrease?).

Yes, tomorrow is a new day, and I will approach it with renewed energy, prepared to tackle whatever challenges come my way. I will be incredibly grateful if we receive just one ream of yellow paper, one packet of black markers, or one roll of yellow material because something is better than nothing and also because I am of the mindset that if our message only reaches one then that one may have capacity themselves to continue sharing the message which in time may reach hundreds.

If it doesn’t look like we can source the necessary resources to move forward, I will work closely with our team, learning from those who have been in this field here in Samoa for a long time and ponder on their experiences.

I cannot help but think if I am meant to be here doing this work, then something or someone will come forward to support our efforts in making a difference in Samoa, right?.

The daily encounters with women seeking protection orders, stories of the 10-year-old child coping with the trauma of witnessing his mother being stabbed multiple times in front of him by his step-father, or the elderly mother struggling to cope after her daughter was beaten to death by her husband—all these experiences serve as a constant reminder of the importance of our work.

I will not give up easily.

For now, as I prepare for bed, my anxiety and stress levels are subsiding. I hope to wake up with a clear mind, ready to face another day in the SVSG Samoa office, and I hope to provide a positive update shortly.

**Information about SVSG Samoa can be found at the end of this blog piece.

To find out more about SVSG Samoa, aka Samoa Victim Support Group, you can search online via any search engine or head over to their Facebook page, SVSG Samoa, for an overview of all their services.

To find out more about the SVSG Nofotane project, a project designed and implemented by SVSG for Nofotane women so that every Nofotane woman may have financial independence and free themselves from the cycle of poverty leading to domestic abuse or violence search for nofotane.com or head over to their Facebook page Nofotane SVSG.

What is a Nofotane? As the SVSG Samoa Nofotane website explains, Nofotane is a Samoan term labelling women who live with their husbands’ family or village. These women face all kinds of abuse because of their status as Nofotane.