Patsy sells popcorn and pies to support her eight children

Patsy is separated from her husband and they have 8 children all under her care now. They live in a very small house which also serves as her working area and storage for her raw materials and products. With no financial support from her husband, Patsy would do any business that will help her support her children and their education which are the most important for her.

Patsy used her first SPBD loan to expand all her different businesses. She is weaving mats, making kafa or Tongan accessories, baking pies, selling desserts and popcorn. She makes 100 packs of popcorn everyday and 200 packs on Saturdays which is Tonga’s busiest market day. She delivers popcorn, pies and desserts to roadside stands and shops in town. Everything that she is doing is very small but profitable. This allows her to earn more and support her 8 children. The oldest is 15 years old and the youngest is 2 years old.

“My hands are full taking care of my eight children and doing all these different small businesses. I am not done yet. My next SPBD loan will be to put a small hairdressing salon,” Patsy said. True to her entrepreneurial spirit, Patsy’s goal is for her children to have their own businesses when they’re grown up so she is teaching them now to make handicrafts and to bake.

The villages of Saleaaumua and Ulutogia in the Aleipata region of southeast Samoa are just two of many villages that were devastated by the tsunami. Entire communities of houses, churches, and small schools were literally ripped from their foundations and swept away by the catastrophic waves. Life has changed dramatically for the villagers as their possessions and means for earning money have disappeared.

Wreckage of homes in the village Ulutogia.

More leveled homes in Ulutogia.

However, the locals have shown incredible resilience and are determined to rebuild their homes, communities and economy. MicroDreams’ and MercyCorps’ “Cash for Work” program is currently underway in Saleaaumua, Ulutogia, and seven other villages throughout affected areas of Samoa to assist in their efforts.

A “Cash for Work” (CFW) project is a two-week paid work project executed by local villagers that does not require specialists or heavy equipment. The CFW project must be something that can be completed in two weeks using basic tools like wheelbarrows, shovels and paint brushes and something that benefits the entire village.

Cash for Work team in Manono.

After a village is selected by the MicroDreams assessment team, each village decides its own project through cooperation with village Matai (chiefs), mayors and women’s councils. Village leaders then choose up to 25 workers (one from each affected family) and a team leader to carry out the work for 10 days. MicroDreams pays the workers WST 20 per day for a six-hour work day.

So far, the villages of Faleu and Lepuiai on the small island of Manono have completed Cash for Work projects that included rebuilding the sea wall that protects homes from waves and is especially important for the upcoming cyclone season, and filling in a large hole that was threatening to destroy the foundations of a local church.  Projects underway in Saleaaumua, Ulutogia, Mutiatele, Lalomanu, Utulaelae, Salani and Tafitoala include debris clean up, trash removal, and village beautification projects.

Completed sea wall in Manono.

More re-built sea wall. The project extended for miles - the team worked very hard.

All villages involved have expressed sincere gratitude to the many donors who have provided funding for this program.

Children in Manono.

Thank you very much for your support of these families through MicroDreams.

Russ Tanner

MicroDreams Associate Director

Ben Nelson

MicroDreams Intern