ULIMASAO
MARIST CENTRE,
Vailoa, Palauli, Savaii, Samoa
Enhancing Creative Expression Through Art
Situated
on the island of Savai'i in Samoa, the Ulimasao Marist Centre is a Second Chance
Educational Centre. It has been in operation since 2002, using the infrastructure
of the former Ulimasao College. The Marist Centre provides hands-on education
to help participants gain life skills, while at the same time boosting their
self-confidence. The Centre is committed to the education of the marginalized
youth of Savai'i , in the spirit of St. Marcellin Champagnat
There are many of these young people in Savai'i who,
for many reasons, are in danger of losing all opportunity for education. They
are the focus of the institution. The centre offers a one-year course for these
students to get a basic general education plus vocational options which suit
the kind of work they aspire to. Additionally, they are helped to acquire good
work habits and attitudes, so that they can fit in to a work group easily. A
3 week Work Experience late in the course is designed to further assi
st
them in preparing for employment.
The Ulimasao Marist Centre has proven to be the best available learning environment for many. Their uncommon methods and hands on courses make it the only school of its kind in Samoa. The Samoan, English and Math courses being complemented by courses in Art and Craft, Tourism and Hospitality, Computing, Music, Agriculture, Religion and Spirituality, Accounting, Dance, Welding, Woodworking, Engineering, Tailoring, and Cooking make UMC a very special place to learn. The school roll currently stands at 125, and there is a staff of 13 teachers.
The Centre employs a full time Art, Craft and Carving Teacher, but lacks the range of materials to fully utilize the creative potential of both the art teacher and the students.
What is NEEDED…
Art Books, drawing and painting materials, screen printing equipment to produce
the beautiful Samoan Elei patterns on materials, and carving knives all fall
within the scope of the art class requirements. The Screen printing skills in
particular
offer good opportunities for home based self employment. With an upsurge in
tourism in Samoa, and on Savaii in particular, there is a big potential market
for locally designed printed materials, such as lavalava or shirting materials,
as well as Samoan design carvings.
What you can DO…
$NZD1,000, (equivalent to 1,900 Samoan tala) will go a long way to providing
the kind of materials required to both boost the productivity of the art class,
and impart the requisite skills for future self employment opportunities.
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