Since the inferno that gutted the flea market, stall owners and operators have been overwhelmed with the assistance from both government and private businesses in their efforts to recover.
Today, 50 of those stall owners were handed $400 tala each in cash from a local insurance company.
Federal Pacific Insurance has been insuring the Savalalo Flea Market that was, in a collaboration with Samoa Land Corporation and today the $20,000 tala dispensed amongst shop owners is just a part of their support.
"We couldn’t just select who to get how much money, because it would not have been fair to all the 293 stalls," said FPI manager Namulauulu Sami Leota.
"So we conducted a draw with all the names of the stalls in it. We pulled 50 names and these are the lucky ones," he added.
"It was through a conversation with SLC that pushed me to strive for this assistance, once we settled the insurance of the old flea market, we figured why not an assistance for you stall owners.
This is one of many charitable offers handed in from businesses. Aside from the Samoa Offering Hope trust, and the $293,000 from the government, some of these stalls are already back to full swing.
"$400 tala each is a small amount, but we hope it would buy you at least a can of paint for your elei printing. It’s a small offer for now, the hope is if business goes well, we may be able to provide more," he said.
The stall owners expressed their gratitude and thanks to the insurance company and their manager, Namulauulu Sami Leaota, and wished him well with his goal to run for office in parliament in the general election next month.