Kuma Community, Vatukulau Ward, Guadalcanal Prov. December 06, 2024 – The Provincial Governance and Service Delivery (PGSD) project successfully conducted the first-ever community engagement workshop in thisisolated area of Guadalcanal Province, the Weather Coast. The workshop held in Kuma Community is part of the series organized by the European Union funded project that was also held in Tulagi and Russel Island in Central Province, at Gizo in Western, and Taro in Choiseul.
The activity, conducted in partnership with the Guadalcanal Provincial Government, marks a pivotal step toward enhancing citizen participation in local planning processes and addressing the challenges faced by communities when engaging in local development planning. They aim at empowering the community by making their participation count and their voice heard.
The workshop counted with the attendance of representatives from the Ward Development Committee (WDC) of Vatukulau Ward that includes seven villages around Kuma. This region is particularly remote and therefore more vulnerable due to its geographic isolation, harsh weather conditions throughout the year, and lack of reliable communication. Despite the obstacles, the community showed their interest with high attendance of around 30 participants, including representatives from church, education institutions, and youth groups, as well as traditional leaders, who engaged with enthusiasm in the group discussions organized by the workshop.
While in Kuma, the project team —comprising representatives from the UNDP PGSD project, and technical officers from the Guadalcanal Provincial Government, also conducted a visit to the ongoing works of an ablution block for the female dormitory that is being built at the Kuma School female dormitory under the project.
The mission shed light on several challenges that hinder development in Vatukulau Ward. Extreme weather and isolation severely limit communication and access to resources. Community engagement remains weak, with low participation from youth, women, and persons with disabilities. Ward Development Committee lacks training and faces numerous challenges in member selection and project prioritization in consultations with the wider communities. Limited understanding of policies and transparency issues impede trust and accountability.
Despite these challenges, UNDP through this workshop expects to trigger the community’s willingness to work together more closely and engage more intensively in local planning with the potential to foster a stronger collaboration between WDC, local stakeholders, and the Provincial Government.
“This workshop has set a new benchmark for this community’s involvement in Guadalcanal Province,” said Mozammel Haque, PGSD Project Manager. “Despite the challenges, I hope this opportunity triggers the enthusiasm and commitment of the Vatukulau community and inspires them optimism for a future of more participatory development in their community” added the UNDP representative.
This initiative is proving to serve as a model for remote communities facing similar challenges like Russel Islands where the workshop was held two weeks ago. By fostering inclusion, transparency, and collaboration, the PGSD project, UNDP and the European Union together with the Provincial Governments aim to create lasting impacts on the governance and service delivery in Solomon Islands.
The workshop will be replicated soon in Isabel and Temotu provinces and beyond with locations in Malaita, Makira and Renbel to follow during 2025.
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