Between February and May 2025, the Coalition for Education Solomon Islands (COESI) implemented the Leadership, Human Rights, and Entrepreneurial Skills Training for Resilient Livelihoods in North Malaita, with funding from New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT NZ) and technical support from the Commonwealth of Learning (COL).
The programme brought together over 140 youth, parents, teachers, church leaders, and community leaders in Gwou’ulu and Tauba villages, Manaoba and Faufanea Community High Schools in North Malaita, as well as staff and students at Bethesda Disability Training & Support Centre, DIVIT Girls Training Centre, and San Isidro Rural Training Centre (RTC) in Honiara and North and West Guadalcanal.
Participants said the sessions on gender-based violence and human rights strengthened their confidence and clarified how to report abuse.
Community leaders agreed. The Principal of Manaoba CHS said: “COESI is the first organization to conduct this important awareness in our school and community. Violence is a serious issue here, yet no one has been held accountable. This awareness is a much-needed step forward. It shows how we, as a school and community, can collaborate to find solutions and prevent violence together.”
At the RTCs, consultations with Bethesda, DIVIT and San Isidro focused on school fee support, gender equity, community safety, and vocational empowerment. At Bethesda, 29 young people, including students with disabilities, learned about budgeting, saving, record keeping, and business planning in simplified, peer-led sessions.
By combining human rights awareness in North Malaita with entrepreneurship and financial literacy training in Honiara and Guadalcanal, this initiative has shown how inclusive partnerships can empower youth, strengthen resilience, and create pathways to safer and more sustainable livelihoods.