Clean drinking water once flowed to the 18 villages along Graciosa Bay on, the largest of the Santa Cruz Islands, in the Solomon Islands. This was made possible through a diesel-powered pump and pipe system built in the 1970s. But due to the extortionate cost of purchasing and shipping diesel to this extremely remote island, the pump system was abandoned and fell into disrepair in 2003.
Today 99% of households along the picturesque Graciosa Bay live without reliable access to clean safe drinking water. Families, and particularly young children, risk sickness or even dying from drinking contaminated water. To find clean water, they face a two hour trek every day to collect and cart water back to their villages from the Nembo Spring.
ChildFund’s rehabilitation project will see the installation of a solar-powered water pump and a new pipe system to the villages. Scheduled to be completed in January 2026, the project will bring safe drinking water once more to the 3,000 people who live along Graciosa Bay. Clean water will not only reduce the risks of illness and death, but it will help ensure children spend more time in school and not collecting water.
“Access to water is a human right for all. However, some children in the Solomon Islands have limited or no access to water at all, particularly those living in small out islands in Temotu, Malaita and some islands in Western Province.” Hika Joseph, ChildFund NZ Country Representative in Solomon Islands
