As part of European Sustainable Development Week, the RAJA-Danièle Marcovici Foundation interviewed Gabrielle Onesemo, president of the Women's Council of Falealili 1. This association is based in the Samoan Islands, Oceania, and received funding through the 2024 edition of the Feminist Fund for Climate.
Your association is located in Oceania, in the Samoa Islands. What is the situation in this region? How is climate change affecting this area? What is the role of women in this region?
The relationship between climate and environmental change and social issues in the small island like Samoa and the developing states of Oceania are on-going and evolving to an extent that becomes a major responsibility not just one person but the whole society. The economic, social, environmental, and cultural impacts of tourism and other aspects of development are visible, hence refracted through the new lens of climate change.
The mobility, urbanization, and agriculture, including the vulnerability, poverty, and resilience are already discussed in local contexts. These are the impacts of human-induced climate change that can never be changed overnight. The sea level is rising. People’s homes are vulnerable to the increasingly high tides and storm surges. Shores are eroding and the coral reefs are becoming bleached. The water supplies and soil fertility are being threatened by the intrusion of salt water. Weather patterns are less predictable posing risks to fisher-folk and farmers. As an incorporated association of women within the Pacific region, our role is essential.
Originally, your association was born from the meeting of women from 9 villages in the region. How does the strength of the collective reinforce your fight for the environment?
Families in Samoa are typically large and extended, but some are smaller families, with just one parent. In this district of Falealili, many families live subsistence lives and may depend on remittances from relatives overseas. A traditional way of life with little privacy and few material comforts while learning agriculture, weaving, local diversions, and how to cook Samoan delicacies from local plantations, gardens, or the sea are the means of survival. Our Samoan society is based on a collectivist system of governance known as ‘fa’a Matai.’ In this system, society is organised by extended families (aiga), with each family having its own ‘Matai’ (‘chief’ or ‘leader’) titles that are connected to certain districts, villages, and plots of family land.
On the other hand, the church is central to the Samoan way of life and interwoven with Samoa (the Samoan way). The profound impact of Christianity on Samoa has become particularly evident in the religious landscape of contemporary society. With the people’s faith in God and our matai system, the power of a collective action has the potential to transform our world, bringing positive change for our community.
The unity of these 9 villages have made it easier for our women’s council to recognise the many challenges we face today and it has proven through our small collective efforts, we can never effectively addressed by individual efforts alone whether they are social, environmental, or economic, still requires unified efforts. Collective action enhances the collective voice and amplifies the impact of advocacy efforts. By uniting under a common cause, these women can exert greater influence on policy-making processes, encouraging governments and institutions to prioritize sustainable development goals.
What are the missions of your association? What concrete actions do you undertake?
With the missions of our association, to deliver a broad range of services to women from diverse economic backgrounds, inspiring them to become more economically active and personally fulfilled. Our areas of support include: personal development, education, and business support. Through our mission, the magnitude of these issues necessitates collective action of women on a global scale. By collaborating, organizations, governments, and individuals, women can share knowledge, best practices, and innovations, leading to more effective outcomes. Pioneering new ideas, resources, programmes and connections makes us more effective. That is why we are constantly pushing against the status quo and acting as a bold and forward-thinking voice that brings people together. We are absolutely committed to helping all women, and our focus is always on practical, positive outcomes. In other words, we get results. Whether we are helping the community to grow and thrive, inspiring improvements in legislation, or raising social awareness. Our success lies in having a real and meaningful impact on individual women’s lives not only in Samoa alone but internationally.
In 2024, you were the winner of the second edition of the Feminist Fund for Climate. How will the funds allocated by this grant be used?
We are grateful for being selected for the second edition of the Feminist Fund for Climate as these opportunities do not come often. When we applied for this funding, we specifically stated that community farming is a key untapped opportunity for our collective economic empowerment, preservation of our biodiversity and a nature-based solution in the face of climate change and the funds are going to be used in developing a communal vegetable garden, using organic and climate-resilient seeds and techniques.
A production of an Organic and Climate-Resilient Farming Handbook to pass on the knowledge to the next generations will be a useful tool for the community. It has always been our goal to move from the sole individual, subsistence farming to community farming for commercial use in the vegetable markets on the island, hence improving women’s livelihoods opportunities.
What message do you wish to send to the international community?
No matter where we live, whether in a small island or a nation that has a landmass that covers the whole continent, women economic empowerment can have a ripple effect in their households and communities. Samoa is a small island but a brilliant example of how we can improve women farmers livelihoods and adaptation to climate change with resilient, organic and client-resilient agriculture. We must remember, a collective effort of a community will allow us to build stronger networks, partnerships and collaborations that enhance our ability to address and adapt to changing circumstances.
