We are coming together to make the decisions together in the community.
- 1 mins read time
- Published: 21st November 2024
Women Leading Change in Solomon Islands
How savings groups are building confidence, community, and climate resilience in rural Malaita
In the rural heart of Malaita province in Solomon Islands, women are rewriting the rules of leadership and financial inclusion. Through Oxfam’s Kōtui programme, in partnership with the local West ‘Are’are Rokotanikeni Association (WARA), women like Matrina Seko, Elizabeth Oiawao, and Gabriella Suka'arahakeni are finding strength in savings, and in each other.
The initiative promotes women’s economic empowerment by helping form savings groups in remote communities. These groups offer more than just a place to store money safely; they provide a platform for women to learn leadership skills, manage household resources, and build collective confidence.
Joyce Kasiwai from Aiarai village, Solomon Islands, paddles daily to reach farmland after rising seas flooded local gardens. Through Oxfam’s Kōtui programme, she’s gaining skills in leadership, savings, and resilience.
In a region where 65% of people work in vulnerable jobs and climate-related disasters are an ever-present threat, the ability to save money and influence community decisions is not just empowering, it’s essential. Homes and livelihoods are exposed daily to flooding, poor infrastructure, and political inaction. Yet women are often left out of the very conversations that shape their future.
The Kōtui programme is helping to change that. By ensuring that climate finance decisions are inclusive and reflect the needs of women, the programme supports communities to be more resilient and adaptable in the face of climate change.
For women in West 'Are'are, savings groups are more than financial tools, they’re stepping stones to equality, influence, and long-overdue recognition.
