In villages across the islands of Bellona and Makira, in the remote south and east of Solomon Islands, a change is under way. Isolated communities are electing their own representatives to act as Community Officers and Peace Wardens, focused on resolving disputes and directing serious cases to authorities.
In a country where the nearest police post can be hours away by boat, this work is essential in keeping communities together.
The Community Governance Program, led by the Solomon Islands government with support from the World Bank and Australian government, has been creating a ‘first line of contact’ between isolated communities and the government since 2014. As this work grows from these provinces into the more populated center of the country, we are sharing the stories of who these men and women are, what they do, and how they are helping keep their communities together.
Meet them all here and see their individual stories below
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| Jennifer is addressing community issues and working with chiefs and elders to support justice in her small community on remote Bellona Island. Watch Jennifer’s Story. | Reginald is a Village Peace Warden in Makira Province, providing a first line of contact between his community and police. Watch Reginald’s Story. |
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| In Daniel’s village, a lack of jobs and youth unemployment led to alcohol abuse and violence. Daniel is working to fix this. Watch Daniel’s Story | Roy, a community officer on remote Bellona Island, sees trust and strong support for his work. Watch Roy’s Story.
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