By Lagi Keresoma
APIA, SAMOA – 20 JULY 2023: The award winning Samoan signing family group Punialava’a donated $63,000 to the Samoa National Kidney Foundation this week.
Punialava’a Manager Vini Peteru said the money was collected from the corporate table concert last month as their contribution to the finale of the yearlong celebration of Samoa’s 60th Independence celebrations.
The group picked the National Kidney Foundation and used the funds raised in the concert on 26 May to assist the foundations work with the rapid rise in the number of Samoan patients treated for kidney failure.
The total amount collected at the night of the concert was $51, 410, and more than $10,000 was collected later which brought the amount to $61,000.
The Minister for Works Transport and Infrastructure Olo Fiti Vaai and the Samoa Port Authority pledged $2000 and presented the funds directly to NKF which rounded up the total to $63,000.
There are also outstanding donations yet to be collected which will bring the total amount of the donation for NKF to $64,562.000.
Punialava’a is also planning another concert for the same purpose in Texas next month.
The donation was accepted by the Minister of Health, Valasi Togamaga Tafito Selesele on behalf of the National Kidney Foundation.
He acknowledged the contribution and said such donations will greatly assist NKF operational needs.
After the presentation, members of the group took a short tour of the NKF premise.
The NKF Unit Manager Ms. Christina said there are currently 288 patients and the youngest is aged 22.
This does not count the patients treated at the dialysis unit at the Tuasivi Hospital in Savaii.
Patients being treated at the National Kidney Foundation unit at the National Hospital, Motootua.
