Lessons from an abandoned factory
I remember a large rice processing factory in the town where I grew up in Côte d’Ivoire. It was a dominant grey concrete structure, larger than most other buildings in town. It had clearly been built with ambition, likely intended to strengthen the local rice economy and lift incomes for farmers. But as a kid, I used to roam through the compound with my mates, hunting lizards with slingshots. The factory was completely unused.
For me, that rice mill has become a lasting picture of what can happen when development is driven from the outside without local ownership. The intent may have been good and the investment significant, but without local people leading it, the project failed, and the investment was wasted.
That memory resurfaced during my recent visit to the Solomons because, in contrast, what I saw there was change being led by local people. What stayed with me was seeing communities, churches and local leaders working together to protect their young people.
Leaders know their own communities best
Tearfund’s partner HOPE Trust gave me a crash course in their work and the challenges facing young people in the Solomon Islands. Prema Maeato, who leads HOPE Trust, explained that the drivers behind exploitation are complex. 37% of girls in the Solomon Islands experience sexual abuse before the age of 15*, and poverty, harmful social norms, weak protections and growing online risks all contribute to an environment where young people can be vulnerable.
Unlike the rice mill in Odienné, built with donor money but left unused, Prema and his team identified clear, locally grounded pathways to address these issues. They have brought together chiefs, pastors, elected leaders, teachers, and police, and their work is measured in years, not months.
Celebrating Bintu’s new community by-laws with local leaders
A hope-filled room
One of the highlights of my visit was attending the launch of community by-laws in Binu, on Guadalcanal. Eleven villages were represented, and getting to this point had taken five years of patient work.
As leaders gathered to sign the agreement, a group of children sat cross-legged on the floor nearby, whispering and fidgeting as the ceremony stretched for hours. They were the reason everyone had come together.
These children are the ones who will benefit from this work.
Women and girls now have additional community protections
These by-laws are designed to help create communities where young people can grow up free from violence and exploitation. They strengthen relationships between community leaders and services, create greater clarity around expectations and responsibilities, and support communities to respond more effectively when harm occurs. HOPE Trust has walked alongside local communities throughout the process, helping align local by-laws with national law, strengthening awareness, and building systems that make it easier for people to seek help when it is needed.
There was a sense of hope in the room. It was a powerful reminder of the role local leadership plays in creating lasting change.
I left the Solomon Islands with a strong sense that change is possible.
What gives me hope is seeing communities, churches and local leaders taking ownership of protecting young women and girls by challenging harmful attitudes and behaviours to build a safer future.
Tearfund has recently committed to supporting HOPE Trust for another five years, and I look forward to seeing what comes next.
The children will benefit most from this work to build a safer future.
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Reference
* IOM Development Fund Report