The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) Solomon Islands, through its Turn on the Tap (TOTT) Project has celebrated a milestone achievement with the completion of the fully funded renovation and improvement project including construction of a newΒ Β additional flash toilet and a showroom facility for Gilo Primary School in Northeast Guadalcanal.
The celebration of the completed sanitation facilities took place on Friday, 14 March 2026, at the school compound. The event was witnessed by the Minister of Education for Guadalcanal Provincial Government and Provincial Member for Avuavu Ward 19, Minister John Botsi, the Minister for Sports and Provincial Member for Tasiboko Ward 18, Minister Jimmy Saea, ADRA Solomon Islands Country Director Leyn Elizer Gantare, ADRA staff, Gilo Primary School Chairman, Teachers and the Staff, students, and the local community representatives.
The renovation and sanitation improvement project for the school was fully funded by ADRA Australia through the ADRA Solomon Islands Turn on the Tap (TOTT) Project. The renovation and improvement work began in December 2025 and was successfully completed at the end of February 2026.
The Gilo Primary School was identified following a full assessment conducted by the TOTT project team across three schools in Guadalcanal Province namely, Rate Community High School in Central Guadalcanal, Gilo Primary School in Northeast Guadalcanal, and Tau SDA Community High School in Northeast Guadalcanal.
After the assessment, the project team decided to select Gilo Primary School which under the Guadalcanal Provincial Education Provider due to its coverage areas of the students attending the school, beside the urgent need for renovation and improvement of its existing sanitation facilities to meet proper education sanitation standards.
Gilo Primary School currently has nine teachers and an enrolment of 262 students from Grade 1 to Grade 6. The school serves students from the GPPOL 3 area up to Brande. It is also one of the longest-serving schools in the Tasimboko area in Northeast Guadalcanal.
Speaking during the official handover of the facilities and celebrations, the Guadalcanal Provincial Government Minister for Education, Mr. John Botsi, said he was honoured to stand on behalf of the Guadalcanal Provincial Government and the people of the land to celebrate the milestone achievement of the Gilo Primary School renovated and improvement project.
βGuadalcanal Provincial Government is pleased to witness and be part of this important achievement and celebration of the sanitation improvement and renovation project,β he said.
Minister Botsi reminded the school committee and the Gilo community that the facilities are a valuable gift that must be properly maintained to ensure their sustainability.
βTo the school committee and the Gilo community, these facilities are a gift, but you must take responsibility for their maintenance and sustainability. The renovation and improvement were costly, especially as the facilities were previously rundown,β Minister Botsi said.
The Guadalcanal Provincial Education Minister also urged the community and the school to take good care of the renovated and improved WASH facilities.
βIf we maintain them today, they will serve the generations to come. Let us not see these facilities fall into disrepair but let them stand as a testament to what we can achieve when we work together. βHe further expressed gratitude to the project donors. βI wish to extend my deepest gratitude to our donor, ADRA Australia, and to ADRA Solomon Islands for their technical and financial support. Your investment in Guadalcanalβs children is an investment in the future of the Solomon Islands,β he said.
ADRA Country Director, Leyn Elizer Gantare thanked to the Government Representatives from Guadalcanal Provincial Government for sharing their valuable time to attend this important event, also to Gilo School and Community for working closely with ADRA for the successful celebration and completion of the renovation and improved sanitation facilities.
Roselyn Ohukeni, Deputy Head Mistress of Gilo Primary School, thanked ADRA for the renovation and improvement work done to the schoolβs sanitation facilities.
βOur school would like to sincerely thank ADRA for selecting Gilo Primary School for this renovation and sanitation improvement projectββ
βPreviously, we had sanitation facilities that were run down, and the school could not maintain or improve them to the required standard,β she said.
βBut today (Friday), I would like to thank ADRA for improving these facilities and for building an extension to the current ablution block with two additional toilet unitsβ βThese improvements will benefit not only our students but also our teachers who are currently residing on the school campus,β she added.
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[ADRA Solomon Islands]
