BY SAMIE WAIKORI

The Solomon Water through the World Bank-funded leadership pathway programme has been investing in capacity trainings that continue to boost leadership capability, especially for it’s female employees.

Speaking on the session of Leadership Development Journey at the Pacific Water and Wastewater Annual Conference held at the Aquatic Centre on Thursday, August 28, 2025, Head of Corporate Service of Solomon Water, Michelle Maelaua shares her challenges and growth of leadership journey within the organization.

She said Solomon Water employs up to 242 employees and in terms of gender composition, women make up 24 percent while men cater to a 76 percent domination.

Maelaua added that 7 percent of these women hold leadership supervisory roles in the organisation, a number that hasn’t moved much.

She said reviewing the organisation’s corporate strategy plan 2024/2028, they identified the need to push that ratio hence their investment in not just capacity building trainings but also in providing a space for women.

“So as part of that, we have, with the help of World Bank, registered about 10 females in the organisation under this leadership pathway programme.

“So initially, there’s two levels to this programme, which we initially signed up 10 female leaders, coordinators,” Maelaua said.

She stated the leadership pathway programme is now in its second phase and has helped them a lot – by instilling in them knowledge and understanding of leadership.

“It is quite different from other programmes we did. It is more practical for us,” Maelaua said.

She said the program started in 2024, and one achievement from it was the development of a leadership development plan.

In an interview, Maelaua furthered that as an organisation, one of the important things to do is to develop human resources, an area Solomon Water prioritises.

On top of that, she said it’s important that Solomon Water trains more of its employees to become leaders through the leadership pathway programme or other capacity programmes.

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