The Provincial Governance and Service Delivery (PGSD) project successfully conducted the first-ever community engagement workshop in the remote Weather Coast region of Guadalcanal Province. Held in Kuma Community, this workshop is part of a series organized by the European Union funded project that previously took place in Tulagi and Russel Island (Central Province) at Gizo (Western) and Taro (Choiseul Province).
Conducted in partnership with the Guadalcanal Provincial Government, the workshop represents a pivotal step toward enhancing citizen participation in local planning processes and addressing the challenges communities face with development planning. The aim is to empower communities, ensuring their participation is meaningful and their voices are heard.
The workshop included representatives from the Ward Development Committee (WDC) of Vatukulau Ward which encompasses seven villages around Kuma. This region is particularly vulnerable due to its geographic isolation, harsh year-round weather conditions, and lack of reliable communication infrastructure.
Despite these challenges, the workshop saw strong community interest with around 30 participants attending. This included representatives from the church, education institutions, and youth groups, as well as traditional leaders, who engaged with enthusiasm in the group discussions organized by the workshop.
