After hosting the Samoan Matalasi Youth Dance Group here in Melbourne for 10 days in September, CERES Global in partnership with LaTrobe University's 'Service Learning & the Community' students are heading to Samoa on a cultural exchange to build
friendships and understanding. The trip will focus on understanding environmental challenges associated with climate change, social challenges such as the high rate of youth suicide in Samoa, and being part of re-establishing coastal communities after the
2013 tsunami.
La Trobe University aims to develop future ready students, who are able to develop their skills through practical applications through the not-for-profit sector. This year Melanie, Charlotte, Mirella and Ross are joining the Ceres Global team in building
friendships in Samoa.
We hope to continue the relationship between Samoan community groups that we meet through a program of annual visits, to Samoa and inviting groups to our home in Australia.
Arriving in Apia on the morning of the 27th of November, the group will meet with local community and NGO organisations such as SPREP (Secretariat of the Pacific environment program), and PACC (Pacific Climate Change) to gain an understanding of current
environmental challenges faced in the region. While in Apia we'll also visit a number of social organisations such as the Samoa Lifeline to learn about social challenges. As we go we'll tell our story and share our ideas, recognising that we come from a different
community with different perspectives.
During the second half of the journey we'll visit the home villages of our friends the Matalasi Samoan Youth Dancers, as well as spending time in the Poutasi Village working on organics, teaching some English, and immersing ourselves in to Samoan village
life.
Most importantly, we're building friendship and rapport. CERES Global has found that over years of learning, sharing, engaging and understanding, great things can happen when communities from different parts of the world come together as friends to meet
challenges.
