A changed man becomes a role model for his community

Meet Joseph Haukare, 36, a World Vision Solomon Islands community Channels of Hope Action Team (CHAT) member from Niumarere community on the Weather Coast of Guadalcanal province.

Joseph is a CHAT member who volunteer to be part of the World Vision’s Channels of Hope project
Joseph lives in Marau, South East Guadalcanal of Solomon Islands where he is working closely with the faith leaders and community members through the Channels of Hope Action Team to provide awareness programs, advocate against GBV and can intervene and are trained in conflict resolution.

As a CHAT member, Joseph has dedicated his time and effort towards helping those in his community, particularly children, youth, women and couples who have GBV issues.

It was Joseph’s passion to groom his community members to behave in a lawful manner and to see happy community in future that drove him into becoming the Channels of Hope Action Team member representing and working with his community.

“As a CHAT member, I have helped other CHAT members in   community to talk to individual community members about the community rules and regulations which they have to follow and the fines they will have to pay if they break the village rules. I also do education awareness for the children in my community and the CHAT committee members also talk to individual youths regarding violence matters.

Joseph says, for him growing up and as a community member from Niumarere who have also experience those violence in his youth days, help him to understand different type of behaviour and reasons why youth and children women and men tend to have unwanted behaviour. He went on to say that he now understand how to connect well with his community members and give advices on GBV issues and how to live and built towards a happy and peaceful community.

“Before I became the CHAT member for Community Channels of Hope project here in Niumarere community. I was a great smoker, an alcoholic and a short tempered person. Becoming a CHAT member and participate in the project’s various trainings have given me better understanding about what is right and what is wrong and also how to deal with people who have involve in Gender based violence issues. I am happy that I am a changed man now that work alongside with CCOH project to fight against Gender-Based Violence in my community. It is not easy, not hard but quite challenging
when dealing with the behavior of people. They are all unique and different in their own ways but It feels more rewarding to see what I have done and being a role model to other youth members in my community have changed some of the drug users and children and adults in my community. Rates of violence in my community have reduced and I will continue to help my people so we can have a healthy, wealthy and happy community.” Joseph said.

Joseph is not only a CHAT member but also the Youth Rep for his community.

Rate of cases reported that are supported by the CHAT group members in communities slowly increasing according to the Channels of Hope Evaluations 2017 and have received help from the CHAT group members.

This one year project which is an extension of a 4 year long project works to improve and build a community of morals and respect, reduce gender-based violence and empower CHAT group members across the two provinces, weather coast of Guadalcanal and Temotu in which it is administered and implemented. Channels of Hope is currently running in 7 communities in Weather Coast-Guadalcanal and 7 Communities in Temotu and is supported by the Australian Government.