Just Another Day By Chrystal Tuigamala

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INTERSECTIONS INC RECEIVES RECOGNITION IN D.C.

(NUUULI, American Samoa) - Intersections Inc., was one of six organizations recognized by the Administration for Native Americans (ANA) during its 2011 ANA Grantee Meeting on January 19-21 in Washington D.C.

Intersections Inc., a non-profit, faith-based organization received recognition for demonstrating innovative approaches to ANA’s social development category of its grant programs. The group was recognized for their project, “Le Nuanua Connections”. Also known as Nuanua Media Communications, it’s a youth development project using media to develop leadership and job skills of 50 youth and young adults, ages 12 to 23, utilizing mentorship of 20 elders to sustain traditional values.

Intersections, Inc. executive director Moelilia A. Seui, traveled to Washington D.C. to accept the honor during the ANA Grantee Meeting “Sustaining Benefits for Future Generation,” in D.C. A short video presentation showcasing Le Nuanua was featured during the meeting.

Joining Seui at the meeting were Intersections’ field production manager, Loso I'aulualo, professional development trainer and volunteer coordinator, Gloria Mane-Iaulualo, and program participants Dolan Iaulualo and Roman Fetuao.

In a letter to Ms. Seui, ANA Commissioner Lillian A. Sparks said the “Le Nuanua Connections” has been selected “for its original approach to addressing challenges in your community. The project is truly an excellent example of an inventive way to address social development.”

The short films produced by Le Nuanua students were aired on Southseas Broadcasting’s Island Info Channel 10 late last year. It included documentaries of the Samoan culture, western influences to the culture, and the making of Samoan food, among other topics.

Ms. Seui said, “We have had our share of challenges in this project, but the learning process for our staff and young participants during this journey has been quiet amazing. They gained job skills in video production and utilized these skills to help tsunami survivors find healing through storytelling.”

Chairperson of the Intersections Inc. board of directors, Evelyn Vaitautolu-Langford, commended Ms. Seui and her staff for their outstanding achievement of “Le Nuanua” youth development project. She said “Le Nuanua Connections” served as a media project to strengthen the social and cultural fabric of the community by improving the job skills and leadership skills of American Samoa’s youth.

“This national recognition from the Commissioner of the Administration for Native Americans, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, serves as a testament to the notable work being done by Intersections, Inc. and their youth participants,” said Vaitautolu-Langford. “It further demonstrates their capabilities in the field of communication through video production and photo journalism.”

This is not the first time that Intersections has received recognition from ANA. In 2004, Intersections received its first funding from ANA for the Crossroads Theatre for Youth. ANA awarded Intersections with the ANA Commissioner’s Award for that project in 2008 for best practices in youth involvement in the Pacific Region.

On December 30th, 2009, we went to some of the villages that were affected by the tsunami, and hung out with the children to find out how they were affected by the disaster. We shared gifts with them and celebrated a little longer before we said goodbye. I was sad to hear what happened to their families, and I felt sorry for them because they were like my sisters and brothers. I felt compelled to do something to help them, yet I did not feel like I had the strength to do anything because only God has the power and the strength to meet them.

The team from Youth With A Mission talked with the kids while I watched and followed them. I heard the children telling their stories of when the wave came towards their home while they were running up the mountains. Another boy told us that when the warning bell rang, he ran to the K-5 classroom to fetch his little sister and took her up to the safety area where he learned about the tsunami. He thought about his parents and hoped that they were okay. When the tsunami had passed, they ran straight home to find their parents and they were so happy to see that the parents were also safe. Unfortunately, more than half of their village was destroyed. The people from YWAM are Christian missionaries that came from Kona, Hawaii. They prayed with the children, and shared with them about God’s love to help them forget about the disaster that almost swallowed our beautiful island of American Samoa.

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