Welcome To My WorldWelcome To My WorldSamoa has a population of approximately

190,000 people with 81% identified living in rural areas while 19% makes up the total population based in the urban areas.

The Samoan economy is based primarily on a narrow range of activities related to agriculture, tourism, small scale manufacturing and fisheries.

For many years, coconuts, cocoa, bananas and coffee exports were the mainstay of the Samoan economy.

With the downturn in the world markets, these exports have all stopped with Samoa now reliant on exports of fish, tourism, remittances, and of course foreign aid.

VisionVisionThat vulnerable Samoan families will take control of their economic and social development through enhanced entrepreneurial activity that contributes to Samoa becoming a fully independent nation, resilient to natural disasters and external shocks.

MissionMissionTo provide and empower these families with knowledge and skills, opportunities, access to finance and markets.

Values and BeliefsValues and Beliefs• We take a values-led approach to guide

our work. These values are our policies• That a sustainable change occurs slowly

and requires a long-term commitment• That the most vulnerable people in

Samoa need to develop sources of income to increase self-reliance and independence

• That Samoa development requires networking with communities, government and other organizations in Samoa and throughout the Pacific.

Virgin Coconut OilVirgin Coconut Oil

Virgin Coconut Oil (cont’d)Virgin Coconut Oil (cont’d)

Experiments

Organic Certification

Fair Trade

Financial Literacy Regional Sharing

Succession Planning

ServicesServicesTraining – Organic Farming,

Finemat and Handicrafts, Microfinance (Financial Literacy)

Preparation for Organic Certification

Provide income generating opportunities

Find Markets for farmersFarm to Table Project

MarketsMarketsMarkets with aligned valuesMarket loyaltyMarket patience

◦Educating markets about SamoaThe Body Shop International (UK)C1 Espresso (Christchurch – NZ)All Good Organics (Auckland – NZ)

What makes us differentWhat makes us differentPredominantly women working

on and in agriculture products and services

Come up with different solutionsHigh flow of communicationLong-term leadership

◦PragmaticInnovative

What makes us different What makes us different (cont’d)(cont’d)Open to ideas Embrace traditional and new

technologies

ChallengesChallengesSmall HR pool to draw fromDonor expectations have changed

from poverty alleviation to Return on Investment

Need to scale up to supply our markets◦Problem of building quantity and

qualityIncreasing transparency and our

story telling

““If you can’t hear the farmer’s If you can’t hear the farmer’s voice in everything you do, voice in everything you do, then what you are doing is then what you are doing is

wrong” wrong” Anita Anita

RoddickRoddick