LocationsEmpowering Communities in Isolation: Unprecedented Citizen Engagement Workshop Held on Guadalcanal’s Weather Coast
December 13, 2024
Participants of the workshop from the Kuma Community.
Vatukulau Ward, Solomon Islands – The Provincial Governance and Service Delivery (PGSD) project successfully conducted the first-ever community engagement workshop in the remote Weather Coast region of Guadalcanal Province. Held in Kuma Community, this workshop is part of a series organized by the European Union funded project that previously took place in Tulagi and Russel Island (Central Province) at Gizo (Western) and Taro (Choiseul Province).
Conducted in partnership with the Guadalcanal Provincial Government, the workshop represents a pivotal step toward enhancing citizen participation in local planning processes and addressing the challenges communities face with development planning. The aim is to empower communities, ensuring their participation is meaningful and their voices are heard.
The workshop included representatives from the Ward Development Committee (WDC) of Vatukulau Ward which encompasses seven villages around Kuma. This region is particularly vulnerable due to its geographic isolation, harsh year-round weather conditions, and lack of reliable communication infrastructure.
Despite these challenges, the workshop saw strong community interest with around 30 participants attending. This included representatives from the church, education institutions, and youth groups, as well as traditional leaders, who engaged with enthusiasm in the group discussions organized by the workshop.
During their time in Kuma, the project team, comprising members from the UNDP PGSD project, and technical officers from the Guadalcanal Provincial Government, visited ongoing project works of an ablution block that is being built at the Kuma School female dormitory.
The mission highlighted several challenges hindering development in Vatukulau Ward, including:
• Extreme weather and isolation limiting communication and resource access.
• Weak community engagement, particularly low participation from youth, women, and persons with disabilities.
• Ward Development Committee challenges related to training, member selection, and project prioritization.
• Limited understanding of policies and transparency, affecting trust and accountability.
Despite these issues, UNDP hopes the workshop will inspire the community to engage more actively in local planning, fostering stronger collaboration between the 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 optimism for a future of more participatory development.”
This initiative is serving as a model for other remote communities facing similar challenges, such as the Russell Islands, where a workshop was held two weeks prior. By promoting inclusion, transparency, and collaboration, the PGSD project—along with UNDP, the European Union, and Provincial Governments—aims to create lasting improvements in governance and service delivery in the Solomon Islands.
The workshop series will continue in Isabel and Temotu Provinces, with additional sessions planned for Malaita, Makira, and Renbel in 2025.
For more information or media inquiries please contact:
Daniel C. Gonzalez, Communications Analyst, UNDP Solomon Islands Office, daniel.calderon.gonzalez@undp.org, +677 7740740/ +34 656560270
