Shaniella grew up in a remote village in the Solomon Islands in a province which has limited educational and job opportunities – and one of the country’s highest poverty rates.
After leaving school, she decided to move closer to the capital city, Honiara, to study hospitality and tourism.
However, her vocational training school was hit by a landslide and cyclone in quick succession, destroying its water supply system and the vegetable garden that it relies on for food. The landslide destroyed the school’s main source of water, damaged school buildings and devastated the garden which the school relies on for food.
I was in school that time when the landslide occurred. I was devastated because I had no knowledge of what to do and where to get information. I saw students in the school panic, I could hear people’s screaming, crying and shouting, as if the world is going to end.
With your kind support, Caritas Australia Solomon Islands (CASI) was able to help the school to install eight water tanks. This restored students’ access to clean drinking water and the tanks also supply water to nearby schools, health centres and the wider community.
CASI also supported the school by providing it with improved planting materials, 200 chickens, and training in agricultural skills and poultry management, to help it to boost its food security.
To ensure that the school is better prepared to respond to future disasters, CASI ran Disaster Risk Reduction training workshops, raising awareness about evacuation procedures and how to respond during an emergency. It provided additional support when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, by helping the school to improve hygiene practices to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
Shaniella can now complete her job skills training and the school has enough food and water for its students. She is also better prepared when disaster strikes and can share her knowledge with her community back home.
Your generous support can help young people in the Solomon Islands to build bright futures for themselves - and for future generations.
Along with your generous support, this program is supported by the Australian Government, through the Australian Humanitarian Partnership (AHP).