Young Samoan women contesting in the Miss Samoa pageant don't often get training prior to the competition and get thrown in the public eye unprepared. 

Over the years the number of girls enrolled in the pageant dropped and the platform that stands to empower Samoan women did not provide guidance for tamaitai Samoa before taking the big stage.

And when the opportunity to apply for the Miss Samoa contract was up this year a group of people involved in the pageant in different capacities over 20 years highlighted their point of difference that they would bring to the platform. The Onomea production won the bid and put together the Anofale Mentorship Programme which is made up of those that work in the gender space formed the Anofale initithat redefined and provided a space to inspire and empower young women. 

The legacy of former Miss Samoa Alumni in the likes of Taralina Gaee, Liliolevao Malietoa, Verona Parker and others during a time when the title was revered was used to drive the programme and were also mentors.  The significant role of former Miss Samoa and Miss Pacific, Manumea Apelu Schwalger was commended. Her inspirational journey and leadership is one of the key Exhibits for the Anofale drawing from her talent, poise and intellect.

The project was self-funded and mainly done on voluntary basis was a success attracting an enrolment of 175 Samoan women confirming there is a huge need out in the community. 

It celebrated the leadership and resilience of Samoan women and the transfer of knowledge, skills and profound respect and admiration for Samoan culture. From those registered it was narrow down to 40 participants for 2023 group and 54 mentors. 

The six weeks programme had lifted the confidence from local girls that participated in the 2023 Miss Samoa Pageant that testified against Anofale being an eye opening experience that helped the women find jobs and exposure on a higher level. 

The mastermind and Director of Anofale Mentorship Programme, I'oimataopunialavaa Vaito'a Peletisala Toelupe said she developed this initiative as an extension of the ground work by her mother Palanitina Tupuimatagi Toelupe. Toelupe led the domestication of CEDAW and CRC under the then Ministry of Women’s Affairs which facilitated a more strategic, multi sectoral and intersectional approach to the empowerment of women, rooted in Samoan culture and context. 
“A humble contribution, but a significant effort in my eyes in movement building for women which she continues today in her family, church, district and community,” she said. 
“It is her passion and drive that inspires me daily resulting in programmes such as “Anofale” because of her commitment to claim and apply in practice the depth, kindness, significance and responsibility of being a Tama’ita’i, as a fundamental prerequisite in one’s Leadership journey.”

Speaking about the Anofale journey, I’oimata said one of the things that was seen in the past is the contribution of local girls in the pageant was very weak.

She said the exposure can't be compared to international girls that have many opportunities and learning to build their confidence as oppose to the opportunities for local girls that was limited. 

"We wanted to provide a platform to support women that are keen to learn their culture, be future leaders and if they decide to enter pageant they have been prepared instead of throwing them in the deep ocean and when they don't perform well we just laugh at them," she said. 

"Its very irresponsible, when you create a platform for women you are expected and obligated to ensure the tools the resources and capacity building is there so they can thrive the best they can be.

"Our definition of pageant is different, its not about training on physical looks or beauty, our training is skin deep, culturally, spiritually deep and that is where eleo le fale ao anofale concept comes from. 

"We wanted to highlight the strength of women and its simply reminding of their cultural relevance, significance and responsibilities because the world evolves."
The Director said Anofale is to create a space to elevate the platform so young women can see that its not about looking pretty which is a typical stereotype of what a beautiful women is. 

"We need to correct the narrative and can't be too lost in the western context of what beauty is and recognise their culture deeply, and that is how anofale came to be."

The program started with Anofale Mentorship programme, followed by the exhibition while the pageant began with the Gala night, premier and crowning. 

With no resources the Anofale group dreamt very big and all voluntary work from a team of strong women, fa'afafine and men that believed in their ability to work together and relied on each other's strength. 

During the mentorship process, one of the mentor's, La Toya Peka Lee said they saw gaps in the new generation and the interpersonal skills of the new generation was terrible. 

"There was alot of challenges that came out during the program with the new virtual world available to them and there was alot of mental health issues," said Lee.

"Most of these girls didn't have space to come and talk about these issues and the mentors were blown away they were confessing so much and its like a check and balance for us mentors.

"Its taboo to talk about relationship and we had one of the girls that had teenage pregnancy and she found her space and support here.

"She was able to live as a girl again instead of being a mother at home. These are the stigma of having a baby early and we are not saying to normalise the behaviour, we are saying everyone falls through the cracks now and then."

From the 175 Samoan women with some of them that applied were in their 40s the number was reduced to 40 to stay within the age group of 18 to 25.

According to I'oimata there were girls that came just for mentoring ended up dancing and others that came to dance ended up being the most vulnerable to the mentoring. 

The contribution of the former Miss Samoa Alumni was acknowledged for being part of the 40 mentors who are all volunteers that trained the girls. 

Being a fa'afafine, I'oimata said it was important to have women at the forefront of a platform for women. 

"We know where the line is drawn and at the end of the day its a platform for women and its important you see women at the forefront.

"Our duty was the covenant is to serve and for small victories like this it means the world to us and its a constant demonstration that when women see other women like them they are inspired in a completely different way, its attainable and can they can say I can be like her." 

As for the challenges, the Director said no one believed in what they were doing or understood it. 

She said the group struggled to secure sponsorship to support them and didn't come through until towards the end. There were also times when there was no venue available to accommodate their events and had to use the Friendship Park in the rain. 

Although the group inherited a previously bad platform following the crowning night many sponsors are now fighting over sponsorship for next year after seeing the credibility of the platform.  

There has also been a number of queries and interest on the followup program in 2024 and a good problem they will encounter is trying to control and manage the number of applicants. 

"We are grateful for the opportunity, it truly is a blessing because we never anticipated it would evolve to what it is now," said I'oimata. 

"My orientation from my mother, that is community development when you start something and people take over and make it their own...and that is how you know you made an impact and that is basically what happened."