This year our TLFF scholarship students are receiving more support than ever to help them achieve their education goals.
The majority of our students attend the National University of Samoa, in Apia, about 35kms away from where they live on the south coast of Samoa. The daily bus ride from their home to the University can take anywhere between one to two hours, which is up to four hours every day.
But time isn’t the only issue.
Cost is also an issue for our students cost. It costs about 8 tala each way, and while that’s only about NZ$5, when you compare it to the minimum wage in Samoa of 2 tala per hour, it’s a significant cost for a student.
Covering the cost of a bus fare might seem like a small gesture, but for our students it makes travelling to and from the University, affordable.
Consider the equation: Travel to and from Uni 5 days each week – that’s 80 tala per week or 40 hours of work.
With your help, our students are now set up to succeed. Because you have – they don’t have to work full time hours, just to cover the bus fares.