Samoa is an independent nation in the heart of the South Pacific. Its people are Polynesian and have a rich, vibrant living culture. Samoa has two main islands: Savaii and Upolu. The capital of Samoa, Apia, is on Upolu, as are the two works of the Salesian Sisters at Leauva'a and Malololelei. The focus of the Salesian Sisters' work is education and youth. Click on the images below to visit Leauva'a and Malololelei.
Leauvaa village is located on the north coast of the island of Upolu about half-way between the capital, Apia, and the international airport. The word "Leauvaa" means "the boat people". Originally these people lived on the big island of Savaii, but their village was obliterated by lava from a volcano by 1911. The people travelled by canoe to the island of Upolu in search of a new home. They were welcomed and given land on the present site of Leauvaa, which is now a large village.The Salesian Sisters began their ministry there in 1985. There are four Sisters in the community who work at St Joseph's Primary School in different roles. The Sisters also hold meetings for the Children of Mary group and the Come and See Programme. Every Tuesday and Thursday afternoons after their religious instruction, children and youth come to play sport in the school grounds.
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The village of Malololelei is situated quite high up on the mountain above Apia. On 13 January, 2013, three Salesian Sisters founded a community in accommodation made available by the Archdiocese, in this beautiful place. The community is known as the Laura Vicuna community. It is named after Blessed Laura Vicuna, a pupil of the Salesian Sisters in Argentina who at 13 years of age offered her life to God so that her mother would return to the practice of her faith. The Salesian Sisters, South Pacific Province, funded the building of the Divine Mercy Primary School which was completed, blessed and opened in January, 2015. The Malololelei community, together with the P.T.A., staff and students worked very hard to transform the school and its surroundings into a functioning, beautiful learning environment. The province has since built a convent for the Malololelei community. It has quite a large chapel and function room which can be used for gatherings, meetings and the apostolate of the Sisters. The new convent was blessed by Archbishop Alapati Mataeliga and opened by the Mother General of the Salesian Sisters, Mother Yvonne Reungoat, on 26 February, 2016.