Solomon Islands Disaster Risk Reduction update

October 2016

From right to left; Fr. George Elo (ACoM Mission Secretary), Fr. Philip Rongotha (Vicar General) and Fr. Davidson Ngwaeramo (Dean of St Barnabas Provincial Cathedral)

The Anglican Church of Melanesia has developed a comprehensive Action Plan for addressing Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change, which is being supported by several agencies, including ABM.

The Action Plan has three main outcomes, which are as follows;

Outcome 1: Implement appropriate policies and activities to increase community resilience, in the context of emerging Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction Programs.

Outcome 2: Increased food production and crop yield in the previous flood-affected communities and other low lying areas.

Outcome 3: Increased capacity of communities to plan for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and respond to changes in climate-related risks.

Specifically, ABM funding will be directed towards communities that were worst-affected by the flooding of Honiara in April 2014. These families are still living in a precarious situation, after being relocated by the Solomon Islands government to higher ground. Access to clean water and basic sanitation is limited in this area, and ACOM have identified the provision of water tanks as an urgent priority. Four 2,500L capacity tanks have now been delivered to the community site, and work is underway to install them. Training will also be provided in this community relating to Disaster Preparedness, so a Disaster Risk Reduction Plan may be developed and implemented in the event of future emergencies.

One 3,000L capacity tank will also be provided to the Christian Care Centre (CCC) in Honiara, which ABM has historically supported. The CCC was established to care for women victims of domestic violence, providing a safe haven for many over the past few years. The increasing demand for CCC services, along with their vulnerability to future flooding, has made this extra supply of clean water an absolute necessity.

Approximately 360 people will benefit from this portion of the project being funded by ABM.

 

If you are interested in reading more, a local newspaper in the Solomons The Island Sun has written an article about the great work that ACOM are doing to reduce Disaster Risks in communities.

Click here to read

http://theislandsun.com/acom-takes-climate-change-disaster/

 

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