Communities of Guadacanal, Weathercoast, Solomon Islands

2006 is the second year of a three-year Commitment Agreement with Turusuala Community-based Training Centre, located on the remote Weathercoast of the Solomon Islands. In line with IF’s strategic approach, IF provides core funding to the centre, which enables the centre to pay teachers’ salaries, buy tools and stationery supplies and cover transport costs. The centre provides vocational education to young people, most of whom have only finished primary school.

The courses offered at the centre in 2006 include agriculture (model farming, piggery and poultry), woodwork (furniture making and building), mechanics (engine maintenance) and home economics (sewing, nutrition and home management). Community outreach activities are one important aspect of the training students receive. As these comments below indicate, IF’s support for vocational education brings benefits for both students and the community.
“The students of Turusuala have done some work for the clinic. We had asked the Province to help but without any response and so we approached the Principal Celestine. It is so encouraging to see young people practicing what they had learned at the Centre. They have drawn the real picture of Turusuala. We still have plenty of work for them to do but we need to buy the materials first.” Clinic nurse

“It is very encouraging to see these students applying their new skills during their practical work. My plan is also to engage the centre to build the secondary school girls’ dormitory when materials are available. This will be part of their training.” Secondary school principal

Practical building experience provides a community service and also assists the students to practice what they learn. The first quarter of the new teaching year saw further community outreach initiatives with two workshops for farmers being held on pest management and food security. Both workshop topics were requested by local community members and are being run in conjunction with Kastom Garden, an NGO with long experience in the area of food security.

IF’s has conducted two independent monitoring and evaluation visit to the Centre. The visits confirmed that Turusuala has been ‘an excellent choice for support by IF.’ It is the only vocational training centre serving a remote area with a significant population and, as the comments above indicate, the Centre is supported by, and benefits, local communities. Considerable progress has been made in the first two years of operation and should continue in the third year of our current Commitment Agreement.

If you would like more information please contact the project manager at indigo.foundation@bigpond.com.