CAUSE Weekly Wrap-Up: Keeping you informed, one week at a time.

Issue 154 (Digital) 07 August - 11 Auguest 2023
The weekly wrap-up newsletter is a way to connect and update staff and project stakeholders about the progress of projects implemented by CAUSE in different communities. It includes information about the projects in Honiara, Guadalcanal (areas outside of town boundary), Auki, Gizo, Noro, and Munda. CAUSE is supported by the Australian Government and the World Bank.

The Honiara team of ISDT trainers is now training the 89th batch of Life-Skill trainees! They are now closing in on completing their training targets, expectedly by October 2023, six months ahead of project closing. To date, the ISDT team in Honiara and the provinces have already successfully graduated a total of 7,880 community participants representing 94% of their overall target of 8,400. Kudos to Judy and her team of hardworking trainers! The training participants are mostly residents of highly vulnerable urban and peri-urban communities in Honiara, Auki, Gizo, Noro, and Munda.

Members of the CAUSE Waste Collection team assigned along the Chinatown area segregate plastic bottles from the day’s collection. This means an extra income for them.

A newly-deployed group of cleaners is donning their safety gear while preparing to clean the Lawson Tama area.

Early morning clean-up drives along the Central Market before the buses arrive and passengers start to converge and queue for their bus rides to work.

CAUSE piloted the outsourcing of waste disposal contractor along the White River to Poha Bridge main road area in the west, and Lungga River to Alligator Creek in the east. Lessons learned under this pilot will be applied during the South Pacific Games in November in connection with CAUSE’s commitment to helping the HCC efficiently dispose of rubbish during the Games.

A joint team of CAUSE and LMCP (Land and Maritime Connectivity Project-ADB), has conducted an inspection and assessment of the drainage issues surrounding the Point Cruz catchment. The LMCP team of drainage specialists is headed by Ian Archer, PM-LMCP, shown here together with the CCECC representatives. CCECC is the main contractor for the LMCP. The inspection resulted in the proper delineation of roles and responsibilities for the two project teams.

Waste Cleaning and Collection (WCC) activities continue in Noro and Munda. Photos show a new group of ISDT 7-day training graduates recently employed by CAUSE for a 20-day work. Currently, there are 6 groups working in Noro and 2 groups in Munda.

INSPIRING STORIES

Beryl Sosota, a stay-at-home mother of four teenagers, struggled to support her children’s education. She used to sell cooked food at the market and her husband provided OBM services and repair in Gizo. However, their income was not enough to cover their family’s expenses.

In November 2021, Beryl attended a seven-day ISDT training at Gizo PIU. She learned how to write a CV, an application letter and how to present herself during an interview. She was grateful for this training, as she was able to apply for a job as an office cleaner at the Gizo NPF branch.

Beryl was hired for the job and worked there for six months. She is pleased that NPF also helps pay her children’s school fees. This is a blessing for her family.

Ghorekera Tolipio, a participant from batch 34, is a SINU graduate from the class of 2021, actively seeking job opportunities. One of his aspirations was to join the Labour Mobility Scheme for seasonal employment, but he faced obstacles.

However, after enrolling in the ISDT training on September 19, 2022, Ghorekera utilized the certificate he obtained along with the attached reference to apply for jobs. Through his determination, he successfully secured a position. Additionally, he used his earnings from project work to cover the expenses for his passport. Ghorekera expressed his gratitude to the CAUSE project for their assistance in making his dreams come true.

During our recent encounter with him two weeks ago, he briefly visited for a vacation before returning to Australia. Ghorekera shared that the valuable lessons he acquired during the ISDT training played a significant role in his promotion to the position of works supervisor at the farm where he is currently employed. He is now in Australia, supporting his family financially and working towards establishing his own depot business, specializing in selling and expanding his inventory of drums.

Testimonials