A new facility for troubled male teens has opened in Samoa.
Boys aged between 13 years and 18 will be considered for the inaugural five-month programme which looks set to begin in October.
The owner of Manuia Plantation, Alema Fitisemanu, says they have been inundated with interest in the programme from people in USA, Canada, Britain, New Zealand, Australia and South America.
He says they are also advertising for staff.
Alema Fitisemanu says although the programme is expensive, at a cost of 400 US dollars a day, Samoa is ideal for rehabilitation work and to get results.
"In Samoa, you know, our values are a lot different and that's what we're trying to promote. Not only our culture and our values, but we are able to re-enforce that being in the environment of a village in Samoa. Whereas if I was to create the same programme in Los Angeles or even in Honolulu, we wouldn't be able to do it as effectively, because the culture's not there."
Alema Fitisemanu says the Upolu campus is located in Ululoloa, but there are plans for a future campus in Aleisa.
He says a programme for girl teens is yet to be developed.
