The community of Laulii Village in Samoa has a new evacuation centre that can be used during natural disasters.
The centre was commissioned yesterday.
The US aid agency, USAID contributed funds towards the centre which is housed within the primary school.
The upgrades cost a total of $135,000 tala.
The US Embassy’s Charge de Affaires, Kennon Kincaid said their focus as a whole is to put the information and the resources in the hands of the community.
“The decision on what type of project to be carried out here in Laulii was implemented as a community, with input from all members of the village.”
“It is encouraging to know that the upgrades to be made in this complex, will shelter the village and community through the fiercest storms that may pass through this area, it will be safe for years,” Mr Kincaid added.
The village of Laulii is one of the most vulnerable areas in Samoa to natural disasters.
The village is located on the coast and during extreme weather events, the people suffer terribly. This is why the community was selected as part of the initiative.
Mr Kincaid commended the village as a whole for their Community Disaster Management plan put in place, in proper response to disasters in case they struck again.
“The hope is that with the steps we are taking together, will bring this village a lasting prosperity,” he said.
This is the first step in the community engagement where the USAID CCAP programme has reached out to a rural village in efforts to building resilience and climate change adaptation.
