On April 2, 2007, the Western and Choiseul provinces of the Solomon Islands in the Pacific were subject to a tsunami, generated by an undersea earthquake with a magnitude of 8.1 on the Richter scale.

Numerous aftershocks in the following three months led to damages estimated in the millions and leaving thousands of people homeless. About 5000 homes were damaged or destroyed.

Together, we are making a difference

With the financial assistance of generous Kiwis who support World Vision New Zealand’s Children in Crisis (CIC) programme, and match-funded by NZ Aid, World Vision Solomon Islands (WVSI) implemented the Western Province Rural Shelter Recovery programme towards the end of 2007 in conjunction with other non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

The programme, which will run until the end of 2010, initially focused on restoring more than 3600 households in the rural communities of Simbo and Ranongga, east of Gizo Island. The project has now been expanded to include an additional 1000 households in Shorlands Island. These communities, with a total population of more than 22,000, are hard to reach and the area is only accessible by small boats.

The main objective of the programme is to help rebuild the dwellings of vulnerable families through community ownership and sustainability. The recovery programme has been implemented through village chiefs, religious leaders and village disaster committees. This strategy empowers families and communities to drive their own shelter recovery.

WVSI is not involved in any building per se, but rather supports and encourages communities to contribute their own labour and local resources, enables them to access non-local materials, and provides training in sound building practices.

‘Kei Gold’ is the new settlement of the Mondo community in Ranongga Island. This community had to move to higher ground after their original settlement was under threat of a landslide, following the 2007 tsunami.

According to Herrick, a Mondo leader, the word ‘kei’ in the Ranongga language means tired or is an expression of effort or exertion. The ‘gold’ in the name of the new village refers to the aid provided by agencies such as World Vision.

As the World Vision shelter recovery programme was implemented at Kei Gold, Rafael Mattar, WVSI shelter manager, went to deliver some building materials to the community, and he has the following story to share.

“We arrived at the Ranongga water shore at midday. Rain poured down and it took us half an hour of steep climbing to reach the community, through a moist and humid forest, under the shadows of tall trees. While making our way forward, I couldn’t stop thinking about the community who had to start all over again, rebuilding itself.

“We finally arrived to a valley. The landscape was beautiful; children were running among gardens filled with colourful flowers and fruit trees. ‘This is it,’ one of the locals said to me, ‘welkam lo Kei Gold’.

“Now I understand why you call this place ‘Kei Gold’, I said to some of the Mondo community members. After all the ‘kei’ to reach the community, I was moved by the life and beauty of the new settlement – pure gold. In the middle of the jungle, new houses were rising up, women and men went about their daily duties, and children ran and played around me.

“Despite all their hardships, I realised these people now had gold, not only in their new settlement but also in their hearts,” recounts Rafael.

Your contribution to CIC has also made possible the following:

• Almost 60 per cent of beneficiaries have already received building materials, milling fuel and tools, enabling them to commence their shelter recovery plan
• At least 20 per cent of beneficiaries have already completed a core-frame dwelling

• Many communities have received tools and equipment during earlier relief operations and may shortly receive further material aid

• World Vision will also encourage people to replant trees they have harvested for house construction so that communities will be better equipped in the event of any future disasters
• A participatory evaluation plan is also being implemented to monitor and assess progress