Five Samoan students who are children of first responders will have the opportunity to attend Dixie State University in Utah, USA on scholarships.
The awards will include tuition, room and board as well as assistance with immigration visas for the fortunate students.
The scholarships are an incentive from a former Samoan couple living in St George, Utah.
Faalogo Situtuila Sissy Vuki and husband Tupuola Sione Vuki have set up a programme that offers educational assistance to children of first responders at the Samoa Fire and Emergency Services and the Ministry of Police.
Prime Minister Tuilaepa Lupesoliai Dr. Sailele Malielegaoi said the country is “indebted to Samoan patriots such as Faalogo and her husband Tupuola.
“ I am aware that this is not the first time that Faalogo Sissy and Tupuola Sione have donated unselfishly to improve our 911 National Call Centre with over 15-thousand tala presented to SFESA last year.”
“Also in the last 10 years, the couple have discreetly remitted over $150-thousand tala to fund educational projects in Samoa,” he said.
The announcement by Faalogo in Apia complements the $20,000 plus in financial assistance for the 911 National Emergency Call Center at Faleata and scholarships grant together with education material for the FESE and Police first responders.
In total, the assistance package distributed Tuesday this week is about $35,000 far exceeding the targeted US$10,000 budgeted by Faalogo and Tupuola for their humanitarian grant.
A cash donation of $10,500 tala was presented to SFESA for the 911 Emergency Call Center while the balance funded scholarship grants and educational stationary for the 20 plus students from Primary to Tertiary level.
Initially, the St George couple had donated over $15,000 tala for the 911 National Emergency Call Center last year.
The funds were donated by family, relatives, business associates and the wider community in St. George, New Zealand and Samoa.
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