World Vision Ensures Christian Care Centre has fully functional dormitory.

October 17th, 2017 Honiara - The Christian Care Centre (CCC) at Tenaru, North Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, is now fully functional after its new girls’ dormitory was officially blessed on Friday 13th October 2017. This means young female survivours of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in the country can now have access to a safe haven.

This was possible through joint efforts by World Vision Solomon Islands partnering with the Anglican Church of Melanesia (ACOM), World Vision Australia, and the Australian Government in efforts to address gender-based violence in Solomon Islands.

The joint support saw the completion of an eight-bedroom two-storey building called “Rainbow Wing” constructed at the Tenaru Centre.

A 2009 study has found that 2 out of 3 women have experienced physical and or sexual violence from their intimate partners, with 42 percent of women surveyed reporting physical and or sexual partner violence in the 12 months prior to the survey.

But with the Centre’s new dormitory, young female survivors of gender-based violence can now seek help and support services there. 

Centre Coordinator, Sister Phyllis Sau said the need to build an additional dormitory to house young female survivors separately, has been around since 2015 when the Centre started to record an increasing number of support seekers. She acknowledged the stakeholders who ensured the completion of the building.

“Thanks to the Australian Government, World Vision Solomon Islands, the Anglican Church of Melanesia and World Vision Australia for their partnership in ensuring that this dormitory is completed and ready for use.”

“We name the dormitory ‘Rainbow Wing’ based on the Story of the Flood which can be found in the Bible in Genesis chapter 9. Whenever a black cloud appears in the sky, a rainbow will quickly clear it away. Hence, women who seek help at this Centre may have encountered dark clouds in their lives, but we would like this new dormitory to be their rainbow.”

First Secretary for Gender from the Australian High Commission office in Honiara, Ms Jemma Malcolm said the Australian Government is proud to be working with partners to end violence.

“The Australian Government is really proud to be working to end violence against women both in Australia and in the Solomon Islands and other areas around the world. That’s really important to Australia and it’s important for the Solomon Islands to figure out a way to end violence but also to be able to help the women and children who are survivours of violence.”

She adds, “Australia is looking forward to working with the Christian Care Centre for the next four years. We have a new relationship which was only signed a few months ago and we’re looking forward to working closely.”

Country Director of World Vision Solomon Islands, Janes Imanuel Ginting said though gender-based violence is an endemic issue in Solomon Islands - a predominantly Christian country - he is grateful to see that people are embracing solutions to this problem.

“But I am very grateful to see that many people are embracing the solutions. Rainbow Wing is a long time work and this is not just a safe haven, which is probably the first and only long-term safe haven for the survivours, but it is also part of the bigger system to address gender-based violence in this country.”

Mission Secretary of the Anglican Church of Melanesia (ACOM), Father Nigel Kalaepa said the Church is grateful to be partners in combating gender-based violence in the country.

“The Church continues to be grateful to our partners that together we can continue to preach the message of love to our people so that they understand as a Christian country we’re responsible for freeing those who are oppressed and granting liberty to those who have been held captive by oppressive structures in the society. Hence, as partners working together to bring justice to our people, we must in the years ahead continue to fight this battle until we can help our people to understand the message of love.”

Support from church partners of World Vision Australia ensured the building’s completion in November 2015 and a handover the same year.

World Vision Solomon Islands through its Gender programme supported by the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP) has also supported the building project. It also provides gender training programs to the staff of the Christian Care Centre.