Miss Samoa Feagaimali’i Soti launched a new program Friday aimed at encouraging Samoa’s young child vendors to recognise the value of hard work while continuing to pursue their education and dreams.
The program, “Suamalie Fa’aniu Aati,” was launched Aug. 14 and focuses on children who earn money by selling goods on the roadside to help support their families.
During her speech, Soti explained the meaning behind the program’s name, which comes from the coconut, known in Samoa as “La’au ole Ola,” or the tree of life.
“You keep working, keep biting, sometimes it’s difficult, but eventually you reach the popo and it tastes even sweeter because you know how hard you worked to get there, and that’s the beauty of hard work,” she said.
Soti also spoke about the importance of popo in the lives of Samoan people, using it as a symbol of perseverance and the rewards that come from hard work.
