Aqua Filter Products partnership with World Vision

Here’s what Aqua Filter Products can achieve through your ongoing support

• The NZ Government will match fund $4 for every $1 Aqua Filter Products raises.
• For example: NZD $20,000 Famine funds becomes $100,000.
• The NZ$100,000 (Govt. and Aqua Filter) over 5 years will support the funding of two gravity fed water systems and 32 latrines each year. (enough for two villages). This will serve between 250 and 500 people each year.
• Full training is also given to each community.

Making a difference at Weather Coast Guadalcanal Province

The goal of the Weather Coast Health Improvement Programme is to empower communities so they can ensure quality of life for the children and families of Weather Coast, in Guadalcanal Province, by 2023.

During the first 5 years this will be achieved through: 

• WASH - improving the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene infrastructure

Community vulnerability

Water and sanitation

•  Only 42 per cent have access to a safe water supply
• Improved latrines are available to 15 per cent

Malnutrition and food insecurity

• Malnutrition has stunted the development of 33 per cent of children under 10 years
• Nine per cent of children are severely stunted
• Half of all children under 10 years suffer from anemia

Infectious diseases

• Infectious diseases: malaria, water-borne diarrhoeal diseases and respiratory infections are high according to Ministry of Health and Medical Services records.

Why is poverty so high?

• On the UN Development Index Solomon Islands is ranked second poorest among Pacific Island nations
• The average annual income is $2.03
• The population of 566,842 is rated 129 (about as poor as Cambodia) on the Human Development index and half the population is younger than 19 years
• Youth unemployment is rated at II per cent
• Young people describe themselves as: bored, lacking direction, low in self esteem, isolated, marginalized by the community and without money
• More than 80 per cent of the population depend on subsistence agriculture and fishing

Weathercoast geography

Guadacanal is a large island, 6,500 sq km of mountainous dense jungle. The coastline is rough with precipitous cliffs and large coral reefs making anchorage difficult, isolating the disparate communities.

There are no roads on the Weather Coast and people travel on foot through bush tracks or by boat.

Isolation has encouraged the development of 74 different languages across the Solomon Islands. English is the official language, but few people use it. The common language is Solomons Pijin, used when people need to communicate beyond their own village, but most people cannot read or write Pijin.

Social issues

Women are particularly isolated and educationally marginalized in the Solomon Islands. Their social status is very low and they are generally excluded from income generating activities and community decision-making.

Worse, domestic violence, rape and abuse of women and girls are prevalent. The integrated literacy project is raising women's knowledge about the unacceptability of domestic violence, child abuse and attacks upon women.

The civil conflict, violence and disorder that occurred on the Weather Coast at the turn.

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