Community leaders, chiefs and individuals in Avuavu ward of East Guadalcanal Constituency (EGC) spoke highly of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) as it improved their livelihood in many ways despite the challenges they face.
They shared their experiences and thoughts about CDF when the Ministry of Rural Development (MRD) Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) team visited their communities on Tuesday 14th March, 2023.
The M&E team is currently in the constituency until Saturday 18th March to assess and verify 2020 & 2021 projects funded by CDF and also raise awareness about the work of MRD.
Chief David Alaboliu of Kidivoroa Village while expressing his appreciation to the government through MRD, told the team that apart from other government programs, CDF is the only program/fund that touches and improve rural livelihoods regardless of whether you are educated or illiterate or disable.
“It is also the only fund or program that can be easily accessed and benefit everyone especially through community projects, individual assistance, school fee and income generating projects to name a few. So, we really thank government through our MP for his continues support through this CDF program toward improving our rural people’s livelihood.
“Since our Member of Parliament Hon. Bradly Tovosia, took the leadership role, changes and improvements are obvious in our communities and we are thankful for his continuous support,” Chief Alaboliu said.
Alaboliu’s honest and genuine sentiments were also supported by members of his community.
“For the housing scheme, to us the ordinary village people are much needed and we appreciate our MP for his continuous support towards this initiative,” he added.
“Most of our communities in Avuavu ward received support from the Constituency office. The housing scheme as we know improve our standard of living,” Chief Alaboliu said.
“We use to live in bush material homes and to maintain it is very time consuming, as we know our population is increasing which means resource to build bush material house is declining as well,” Secretary of Gaena’alu Movement Conlius Kore told MRD officials in Komuvaulu.
While Gore spoke highly of the housing scheme, he also acknowledged the cultural aspect of his village and how they deal with development in Komuvaulu.
The MRD team also spent few moments with the popular Gaena’alu Movement members in Komuvaulu village and shared with them information about the work of the ministry.
Josephine Saia a woman’s representative of Baranabuluka village also shared the same sentiments.
MRD Principle Monitoring & Evaluation Officer Timoly Carter meeting with Barabuluka women’s rep Josephine Saia and community leaders.
“I would like to acknowledge our Member of Parliament for touching our simple lives with this CDF.
“In fact, there is a lot of improvements in our communities, but to be honest most times it is us the ordinary village people that do not make use of our own resources to improve ourselves with the support of our Constituency and MP,” she expressed.
“Our Constituency supported us to have proper homes, they support our transport projects both land and sea and other small support that benefits us,” she said.
In Makaruka the MRD team visited a small Fishery project run by two young energetic man Ambrose Laua and Lency Ali.
When asked if CDF have an impact in their community, they expressed that yes, they have felt the impact of CDF.
“For us this small fishery project really helps us in terms of income, we also buy fish from our village fishermen which in a small way helped our local economy,” Laua said.
Laua also thanked the Ministry of Rural Development and the Government for allowing such fund to reach their communities through such income generating projects.
According to EGC Constituency Development Officer (CDO) Dale Tati, their housing scheme is progressing well and he hope that by the end of this year more communities will have permanent dwelling homes.
One of the complete houses in Avuavu ward under the East Guadalcanal Constituency Housing scheme funded by CDF in partnership with recipient.
“This housing scheme is a partnership program between the Constituency office and the communities,” he explained.
He expressed that with our population, the office cannot fully fund a single house, thus we provide materials to those individuals who are serious in building their houses.
“The Constituency office also support agriculture, road infrastructure, income generating projects and community projects,” CDO Tati added.
The team completed monitoring of projects from communities in Avuavu ward on Tuesday. Projects in Moli and Tetekanji Wards were assessed yesterday (Wednesday) while monitoring of projects in Birao ward in progress.
Apart from the Solomon Islands Government, only the Government of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) has supported the CDF Program since 2019.
ENDS//
– MRD Press Release
