Titiana – Gizo, Solomon Islands

On the 2nd of April 2007, the men of Titiana, a coastal community on Gizo Island in the Solomon Islands Western Province, woke and set off in their canoes for an early catch. Upon their return a few hours later they approached their village, just as they had done almost every day of their lives. Within a few hundred metres of the shore, bemused at not seeing their village they returned to the open sea to correct their mistake. This they repeated several times until finally they realised that in fact they were not mistaken. They came ashore to the sight of utter destruction. Almost every structure had disappeared into the sea; nine people had been killed, including three young children from the same family. The survivors, terrified, had fled deep into the bush fearful that the men who had gone fishing would not come back.

It’s been just over a week since I arrived home from the Solomon Islands where I traveled with UNICEF ambassadors to see community rehabilitation projects which have been active since the 2007 earthquake tsunami. Many people don’t realize that the earthquake and tsunami that hit Western and Choisel Provinces in the Solomon Islands two years ago killed 53, directly affected 36,000, damaging or completely destroying 6000 sleeping shelters, 60 schools and 50 health clinics. To compound this utter destruction food security was undermined either by those fleeing to the higher ground of their gardens, or by landslides triggered by the 8.1 quake. On the island of Ranongga, 40 x 15km in size, the earthquake was so violent the island has been lifted permanently by three metres, exposing the fringe reef above the high water mark and making access to the sea incredibly difficult.

Please donate to UNICEF’s work in the Solomon Islands and share this story with your friends.

Emergency Architects (EAA) has been present in the Solomon’s since the disaster. Initially providing support to the National Disaster Management Organisation, UNDP and other NGO’s. EAA works very closely with UNICEF’s Rehabilitation Action Reconstruction Project (RARP) providing additional technical capacity (and supporting communities within the UNICEF agenda in the Solomon Islands). Following the tsunami EAA quickly moved to providing in-the- field technical support, on shelter, to communities on Simbo, Ranongga, and in the shortlands. This comprised training workshops in villages, focused toward construction of earthquake resistant houses, repair of damaged and leaning houses, training over 300 village carpenters, but more importantly, empowering communities to rebuild their lives.

Organisations such as UNICEF and Emergency Architects Australia are making a real difference in the Solomon’s. Even the smallest donation helps to fund this effort, which is largely focused toward rebuilding essential shelter, schools and medical facilities to village communities worst hit by the earthquake and tsunami. You can support this effort in a number of ways. Firstly, please tell everyone about it. Secondly, if you can then please donate to UNICEF’s ‘Build Back Better’ program. Your support will assist to rebuild lives, especially those of young children and their families. During this coming week I look forward to sharing with you more of my experience in the Solomon Islands. In the meantime, please take the time to connect and join in the conversation.

Special thanks to David Kaunitz and Will Harvey-Jones – Emergency Architects Australia; Samantha Cooper – UNICEF Pacific; and Tarie Benedetti of the Titiana Community. Photo and video credit: Joseph Hing – UNICEF Pacific; David Kaunitz EEA; and Stephen Johnson