Relief Fund Progress

My work with the American Samoa Tsunami Relief Fund is still in full effect and going well. It’s been an emotional ride, but worth every second! So after coming up with the idea and setting up all the logistics, I began working closely with Ms. Mauga, one of our awesome Samoana HS Vice Principals! Ms. Mauga is amazing, hard working woman who truly cares about her student body. As one of the main authority figures within the school, she has been so helpful making it all possible. She put together and has been updating a list of the hardest hit students- she’s helped coo-berate their stories to make sure no one is abusing the system. Rather than going to our normal assemblies, she has also allowed all of the affected students to begin meeting in my room. We have had several meetings to talk about the ASTRF find out their needs and make progress checks.

After our first meeting, when I could tell we were going to need many sessions together, I decided that the kids needed a code name. Rather than always referring to them as the “affected tsunami kids,” I wanted them to give themselves an identify. So I asked them to come up with a name, sort of like a club, that I could refer to them by. In keeping with Samoan norms, I expected a tough, gang sounding name, and I was so touched when they announced that “Helping Hands” was to be their name! How appropriate but sweet! That absolutely made my day and touched me! Now, whenever we need to meet or they need to stop by to pick up packages I can put up a sign outside my door announcing “Helping Hands Today!” 

The kids of Helping Hands and I are slowly becoming very close, but, honestly, my first meeting with them was so hard that I didn’t know how I was going to make it work. About 32 kids piled into my classroom. I only knew a few of the students and was looking into a sea of unfamiliarity. The objective was to explain the goal of ASTRF, talk to them about their needs, and have them fill out cards with the specific things that would help them most- food, clothes, toiletries, building supplies, school supplies, home goods. This meeting was on the Tuesday after Columbus Day. The previous week we had another earthquake and tsunami scare, school was cancelled Thursday and Friday, and they had Monday off. They had spent 5 solid day back in their destroyed villages, and their faces showed the pain. It was so hard to muster the spirit and enthusiasm to talk, as their eyes stared back at me full of sorrow, hurt, and pain. It was obvious that they were going through a lot, and life was not treating them well. I could only begin to imagine how they felt and what they were going through.

That Tuesday night was the hardest one for me on island thus far. The emotions surrounding the aftermath of the tsunami are very real, and many of those hit the hardest spent the morning in my classroom. 

Since that first Tuesday, things have gotten easier and a little more light hearted. I was able to make the first 2 big shopping trips for relief supplies. We are now up to about 50 of the hardest hit students and 6 teachers + their families from Samoana H.S. My goal is to outfit them with some key basics to make their life easier. For most students we have been able to provide some key food items, shampoo, soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, school notebooks, line paper, pencils, shorts, shirts, shoes, and a new school uniform. Since the list of those most effected has grown in the past week as kids return back to school, another big shopping trip is planned for this coming Monday. The goal is to get everything for the new students added to the list and work to provide more changes of clothes for all. 

I am beginning to get to know many of the Helping Hands kids very well. A group of them now hang out in my room before school, after school, and in between periods. The frequently pass by just to say hi, and it makes my day! They are such spirited appreciative kids, and it makes me feel better to know that I can help them in some small way!

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