In the Beginning...

On Februray 24th, 2011 at 6am I departed Auckland Airport bound for the Solomon Islands to do 10 months of volunteer work alongside two NGOs (who shall not be named here just in case I get my butt kicked for slagging them off). I had been tasked with helping to organise a waste management system (including sewage and rubbish disposal) and to help out with the local marine reserves. I was be based in Kia Village, a small, sea-side village with no roads and no electricity.




Here’s the low down on my trip. Enjoy.

Thursday June 23rd: Uber-Keen Youth

Last weekend a boat turned up at the Arnavons, packed full with 15 people, three hours boat ride over open ocean from their destination, Kia, and with a broken-down outboard motor and not enough fuel for the rest of the journey.
It transpired that the SDA church had organised a youth health conference in Kia and that’s where they were heading. People from as far away as northern Choiseul Province (a two day boat ride away) were soon to follow. It was to be a four day affair led by a doctor who lectured on the most pressing health issues for young people in the Solomons.

I had a chance to say a few words too which was cool. I spoke to a crowd of about 100 people about water pollution, water borne diseases, toilets and rubbish disposal. It all went down pretty well and either everyone was interested or they were good at acting it.

It was cool to see positive things actually happening here for a change, notably not with the help of the Kia village chiefs and only on a small scale, but positive nonetheless.

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