COUNTRY STOP

Solomon Islands 

Where your monthly gift is increasing rural incomes and preventing human trafficking through agriculture initiatives. 

 

Halo olaketa  
(Hello in Solomon Islands pidgin)

Welcome to the Solomon Islands – the next stop on your journey with World of Difference!  

The Solomon Islands are known for their lush rainforests, delicious coconuts and crystal-clear waters teeming with marine life. But there is darkness that lies beneath the surface of this tropical paradise. This country has one of the lowest incomes in the Pacific, making people extremely vulnerable to trafficking as they search for opportunities to support themselves. 

Join us to see the world of difference your monthly gift is making to address poverty and the complex issues that come out of that through agricultural initiatives. 

Where are the Solomon Islands?

The Solomon Islands are a nation located in the South Pacific, east of Papua New Guinea. There are 992 islands that make up the Solomons and only 347 of them are inhabited. With a population of approximately 740,000, the capital, Honiara, is located on the largest island of Guadalcanal. The country’s top exports are rough wood, processed fish and palm oil. 

There are 120 indigenous languages spoken in the Solomons and despite English being an official language, only 1-2% of the population speak it. 

 

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The face of trafficking in the Solomons 

In the Solomon Islands fishing, mining and logging are major industries, and human trafficking is rife. Women and girls are forced into marriage, people are exploited for their labour, and others are forced into commercial sexual exploitation. Unfortunately, family members are often the unintentional facilitators.  

More than 70% of the population are under the age of 34. The Solomon Islands don’t present a lot of opportunities for young people after they leave high school, so youth unemployment is very high. This makes them extremely vulnerable to exploitation. 

 

Building sustainable livelihoods for communities at risk of human trafficking

This is exactly why the work Tearfund’s partner Ola Fou is doing is so important. Our partner sees agriculture as an important avenue for youth and others in the community to engage in. 

Ola Fou focuses on youth development, community development and agriculture, to help families and communities become self-reliant. They work in eight communities throughout the islands, near logging and mining camps with high rates of poverty. 

Most Solomon Islanders are farmers.  Ola Fou provides them with the correct tools and training to produce better quality crops so they can  sell higher-quality produce at the market, and more adequately provide for their families.  

These farming and agriculture initiatives are teaching communities to be economically empowered, so people don’t have to look for risky work or exploit their children to survive. 

Ola Fou also teaches financial literacy, runs first-aid training, disaster preparedness workshops, and provides water tanks and sanitation blocks. They also work in conjuction with one of our other partners in the country, Hope Trust who provide awareness training workshops on human trafficking and sexual violence.  

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Living with purpose and hope for the future

Luke is a motivated young man that is also living with  a disability. After he finished school, he wasn’t sure what to do next. Ola Fou met Luke and enrolled him into their youth development and agriculture programme. Over 15 months, staff began to see positive changes in Luke. Someone who was once devalued is now a respected leader in the community. 

“I was shy and had low self-worth before I started the programme. But I developed self-confidence and now have a positive self-image. I believe in myself. 

I have seen the benefits of doing agricultural training already. I learnt how to plant crops like taro, peanuts, ginger, chilli ,and spring onion to provide for my family and to sell at the market. I also learnt how to make use of available materials to make compost and fertiliser. My family and I now receive a consistent income.  

Having the opportunity to access new ideas has gradually raised the standard of living in my community. I am now more prepared to approach my future and can help others to do the same.” 

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Economically empowered

Marama Joyce is a pastor’s wife from a remote village in the highlands called Kolochulu.  

“When Ola Fou came into the village, they empowered us to look after ourselves. Teaching good hygiene, families were reminded of what their roles are, and they supported parents with gardening. 

They’ve taught us how to create our own organic fertilizers to apply to our green vegetables and root crops like taro, potato, cassava and all other garden plants. 

I was able to see a big improvement after attending the training. The size of our taros grew well and were healthier.  Not only do Ola Fou provide skills training, but they also supported the community with garden tools, so we can put into practice what we have learnt. 

With the changes in improved product, I was able to sell crops at the market. The money earned is very helpful for the family, it has helped me pay for my children’s school fees.” 

Modern slavery awareness and agriculture initiatives working together

Ola Fou works alongside our modern slavery partner Hope Trust, who run awareness initiatives in communities and schools, teaching people what human trafficking is and how to report it. They also provide counselling services to victims of exploitation and offer support to local law enforcement. Talking about sex is taboo in the Solomons, so Hope Trust is encouraging people to speak up and break the culture of silence. 

Human trafficking awareness and agriculture initiatives are having a considerable impact in the Pacific. It’s shining a light of humanity at its worst in the hopes that perpetrators will be brought to justice and it’s equipping people with the tools to build a better, safer future. 

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Did you know

There are three Japanese WWII wrecks all within a 30-minute drive from the Solomon Islands airport. Each wreck is just a few metres below the surface. Thousands of tourists visit the Solomons each year to explore the wreckage from the Battle of Guadalacanal, which was an important turning point in WWII for the Allied Forces. 

That’s not the only reason the Solomons is a scuba diving paradise, because of its remote location, it’s unspoiled which means the Solomon Islands has some of the most pristine dive sites in the world.  

 

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We hope you enjoyed your visit to the Solomon Islands and saw a glimpse of how your donations are making an impact! Next stop? You’ll have to find out...