Sea front of Qolezavanga which was kept clean and free from OD.
After six months of declaring No Open Defecation (NOD) status, Qolezavanga Village located on North Kolobangara Island in Western Province, continues to uphold its commitment to a clean environment. The community has remained dedicated to keeping both the village and surrounding areas, including the seashore and bushland, free from open defecation.
A joint monitoring visit by ADRA and UNICEF on Friday, 2 May, confirmed that Qolezavanga Community has continued maintaining its efforts, with the village and seashore visibly clean and well-maintained.
Joel Sautehi, a Community Elder, told ADRA Media during a visit to the community that they have successfully maintained their NOD (No Open Defecation) status.
โI would like to confirm that we have continued to maintain our NOD status since the declaration in our community. Everyone in in our village now has their own toilet, and no one resorts to using the bush or seashore like what we commonly did before our village was declared with NODโ
โOur children now understand the importance of proper sanitation. When they need to relieve themselves, they use toiletsโthey no longer go to the bush or seashore. We now reserve our seashore for fishing, and our entire community has greatly benefited from this sanitation program,โ Mr Sautehi said.
Qolezavanga Community celebrated their No Open Defecation (NOD) status on Thursday 12 September 2024. The declaration was made by UNICEF Representatives in Gizo and witnessed by Representatives of Western Provincial Government, ADRA SI and Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) through its Rwash Department in Honiara and Gizo.
The National Sanitation Sustainability Plan (NSSP) program was funded by Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) of people and Government of Australia through UNICEF as Grant Agent and implemented by ADRA Solomon Islands across Four islands in the Western Province namely Kolobangara, Ranongga, South Vela and Simbo Islands.
Meanwhile, Mr. Sautehi thanked ADRA for helping their community to have achieved the Open Defecation Free (ODF) status, which has greatly benefited them.
โI believe that if ADRA had not come and implemented this sanitation program in our community, we would still be using the bush and seashore for open defecationโ
โBut thanks to DFAT, through UNICEF, RWASH, and ADRA, for your support, which enabled our community to become ODF. It has made our village cleaner and helped reduce health-related diseases, unlike in the past,โ he added.
Meanwhile, three more communities in Kolobangara will be declared No Open Defecation (NOD) by the end of this month or early June as work on the ground is still ongoing.
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-ADRA SI
