Honiara, Solomon Islands: Every morning, long before their lessons begin, a group of young Solomon Islanders set out for class. The journey is not easy: hours spent in Honiara’s traffic, and the determination to show up on time, five days a week, from 8 AM to 3 PM. 

They are not university students — at least, not yet. They are trainees of the Solomon Islands Meteorological Service (SIMS), part of the six-month Meteorological Observers Training course mandated by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO). Fresh out of Year 12, many just 18 to 23 years old, they are learning the fundamentals of meteorology: from cloud formations and coding data to aviation reporting and the use of specialised instruments. 

It is demanding work. Each module is assessed, and trainees must score at least 70 percent to receive a certification. After completing this foundational course, the meteorological observers-in-training will be stationed at various field posts across the country, including provincial weather stations and airports, many of which are in remote areas with limited facilities and harsh climate conditions.  

For the trainees, the journey isn’t just about the obstacles they face now, or the ones still ahead. It is about the commitment they feel towards their families and communities. 

“I come here because every day I learn something new and that means a lot to me,” said Sam, 23. “I look forward to when we can learn to use instruments, understand climate change and assess the weather.” 

Julian, 20, admits she looks forward to each session despite the grind of travel. “I am excited to develop my scientific knowledge. It is a big step for me.” 

These voices reflect the heart of a profession that is often invisible until disaster strikes. Meteorological observers are not full meteorologists, but the data they collect — pressure, humidity, temperature, visibility, wind direction and speed — is critical. It underpins everything from aviation safety to cyclone warnings. In a country highly exposed to cyclones, floods, and rising seas, the accuracy of those daily observations can mean the difference between preparedness and tragedy. 

For Edmond, 23, the motivation to be involved is practical.  

“I want to use what I learn to help my community. That’s what keeps me going,” he said.   

Lyvena, 20, echoes this sense of purpose: 

“I’m learning something important that will help protect lives and their property.” 

Support from the Advancing Meteorological Observation Systems for Resilient Development (AMOS-RD) project is making this possible. Led by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) in partnership with the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology, and supported by the Systemic Observations Financing Facility, AMOS-RD is designed to strengthen SIMS so that timely, accurate weather and climate information reaches all communities, especially rural and vulnerable ones.  

AMOS-RD’s work includes rehabilitating eight surface weather stations in the following locations: Taro in Choiseul Province, Munda in Western Province, Auki in Malaita Province, Honiara, Henderson, Tingoa in Rennell and Bellona, and Lata in Temotu, and a surface weather station to be rebuilt in Kirakira. The project will also establish three new upper-air stations in Taro, Tulagi and Lata, aligned with the Global Basic Observing Network, a worldwide system that ensures essential weather data is shared for better forecasting and early warnings. 

Beyond infrastructure, AMOS-RD also supports capacity-building that makes learning more accessible. For these trainees, even something as small as a shared printer has eased a burden, saving them time and money, and letting them focus on what truly matters: their training. 

During an equipment handover, Dr. Alick Haruhiru, Director of SIMS, spoke about the value of having the right tools, even the smallest everyday essentials that support learning and practice. 

“Meteorological service is public service,” he said.  

“Without proper knowledge, hands-on training, and basic facilities, we can’t deliver what the people need.” 

That knowledge, and the values behind it, have long been passed down through the SIMS Meteorological Observers Training program, led for decades by Noel Sainao. Though officially retired, he continues to lead the observer training as he has done for over 30 years. His voice carries both pride and quiet urgency. 

“I hope I find my replacement from these young people. That way someone will look out for them, and for future trainees,” he said.  

Inside the classroom, the sense of responsibility is clear. These young observers already carry the weight of knowing their skills could one day determine whether flights are grounded safely, or whether a coastal village receives the warning it needs. 

And yet, beyond the pressure readings and temperature codes, there is something else being passed down: a belief in public service, and in each other.  

From Noel’s generation to the next, the message is simple: we learn together, and we leave no one behind. 

This work is in support of SDG 13: Climate Action. 

For more information please contact: 

David Hiba Hiriasia | Project Specialist | david.hiba.hiriasia@undp.org