After more than two decades of hardship and limited access to clean water, four communities in the Faea District and one St John Community of Ravenga District of Tikopia Island are finally celebrating a sustainable solution to their water woes, thanks to the Small Grants Programme funded by the Global Environment Fund (GEF) and administered by UNDP in Solomon Islands.
Tikopia is one of the outer islands of Temotu Province, and one of the most remote territories in Solomon Islands.
With a population of around 1,200 people, they live in 20 villages around the coast. Due to its remoteness, service delivery by the Government of Solomon Islands is challenging, a UNDP statement this week said.
Despite its modest size, Tikopia is renowned for its rich cultural heritage and strong communal traditions.
Its lush environment supports a subsistence lifestyle based largely on fishing, gardening, and the cultivation of crops such as taro, bananas, and coconuts, the statement said.
For over 20 years, these communities had relied on rainwater collection and a damaged water system built in the early 1980s. With its continuous use, it deteriorated down to a single standpipe which in addition it is dry most of the time.
Periods of drought, intensified by climate change, often left families scrambling for water, compounding the social and economic vulnerabilities of this cyclone-prone and geographically isolated island, the statement said.
The newly completed St Luke Community Faea Water Project, started in June 2023, marks a transformative moment for the five beneficiary communities on the remote Polynesian outer island.
Through the construction of two water dams and a network of 31 standpipes, families comprising 576 people now enjoy reliable access to clean water for drinking, cooking, and washing—right at their houses’ doorsteps, the UNDP statement said.
“This project has relieved one of our longest-standing burdens,” said Pae Seivaea, chairman of the St Luke Community.
“For years, we had to carry water long distances—mothers, children, everyone. Now, clean water is right in front of our homes. It is truly changing our daily lives.”
The completion of this project reflects UNDP’s commitment to community-driven development in Solomon Islands and the Pacific region and the project will directly contribute to improving the resilience and wellbeing of local populations, the statement said.
Barnabas Bago, UNDP team leader for Resilience and Climate Change, applauded the dedication of the local community in completing the project. “This is your success,” he said. “Water is life. It is a vital resource for human survival, and too many communities in Solomon Islands still live without reliable access to clean and safe drinking water. You are fortunate, and you’ve earned it through your hard work and partnership with relevant stakeholders.”
Mr Bago emphasised how the project aligns with both national and global development goals with Solomon Islands National Development Strategy Objective 2: Poverty alleviated, basic needs addressed, and food security improved across the country; and the UN Sustainable Development Goal 6: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
The project is funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) through the Small Grants Programme (SGP), which supports community-based initiatives across the world. It empowers local organizations to implement practical solutions for climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction, contributing to sustainable development and improved quality of life.
