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Jo and I have just returned from the Solomon Islands convinced that it’s one of these countries that is going to really struggle to do anything more than deliver merely a subsistence existence to the bulk of its citizens. It just doesn’t seem to have oodles of natural resource advantages and those it does have – timber and fishing – are in danger of being expropriated by foreign interests. So really the 550,000 people that live on the islands making up the group, need to concentrate on protecting the environment that has supported their subsistence lifestyle thus far, and ensure that even that is not put under threat by an unsustainably high rate of population growth and/or loss of sovereignty over scarce natural resources.

We were in the islands to check out the work that UNICEF has been doing, rebuilding village schools and amenities following the 2007 earthquake and tsunami. There is demonstrable need for an integrated education approach to provide, at least, a primary education for all children. Education is one of the routes to a lower population growth rate, and of course is a prerequisite for economic emancipation for the population anyway.

We were pretty impressed with the school reconstruction work, especially as it serves to keep folk in their villages and stem this flow of youth to the capital Honiara, where the spectre of scores of idle and restless youth undermines any impression that an urban society-centred growth strategy for the Solomons is a viable alternative. Jo and I have decided to play our part and donate a matching fund of $500,000 and we are asking New Zealanders to donate to UNICEF a matching $500,000. The $1m will be used to extend UNICEF’s post disaster reconstruction project to include 46 schools that while not affected by the earthquake or tsunami, are manifestly substandard. By doing this we can ensure that ALL schools in Western and Choisuel Provinces – about as far from the urban slums of Honiara as you can get – have suitably appointed school latrines, safe water, solar power for lighting, and accommodation for teachers and pupils who have to canoe to school from other islands.

Solar power means the school becomes a community centre. Adults will use the school rooms at night for meetings, craft work to generate income, and community activities. Our experience with a school in rural Brazil has been that the adults are just as keen to use the facilities, enroll for night classes, as make it an education centre for their kids. In this way it becomes a true community centre, enhancing democratization right down at the village level. It is an asset that the community really values.

Transparency and accountability are key to what I support. I spent time in the UNICEF office looking at the project costings and overheads and as normal, we will be reporting back to donors on how the money is spent. As part of our strong commitment to transparency Jo and I will fund two donors to visit the 46 school project as it nears completion so they too can see what can be achieved in these developing societies for relatively small bucks.

Installing the “hardware” or the buildings is just the first building block. The next is bringing in the “software”:- teacher training to move to more interactive methods and away from rote learning; setting up community committees to take responsibility for the school and other facilities; parents taking responsibility to ensure all children – especially girl children – complete a primary education and making the classrooms an attractive environment for the children, with posters and their drawings on the walls.

NZAID is funding free primary education for all children which means no child should be excluded from school because their parents cannot afford the school fees – a predicament which prevailed as recently as just one month ago.

This package of free education, the infrastructure, community engagement and responsibility plus teacher training, means we can really make a difference to the lives of the children in these very isolated, rudimentary environments. Education is essential for good governance, reducing child mortality, economic development, improved health and a progressive society.

Join with us and become a partner in this transforming work. Donate now and double the impact through our matching fund.

Thank you

Gareth & Jo Morgan