As part of their Safe, Strong Communities* program, Anglican Overseas Aid (AOA) is working closely with the Christian Care Centre (CCC) in Guadacanal province, Solomon Islands.

The CCC is an important refuge for women in the Solomon Islands, one of only a few places women can go to receive shelter and support in situations of domestic violence. It is owned and run by AOA partner, the Anglican Church of Melanesia (ACOM) with Anglican Sisters managing and delivering services and programs.

 At the Anglican Sisters’ request, Anglican Overseas Aid worked with ACOM to deliver training to the Sisters so that they can teach the women about financial literacy matters like saving, budgeting and business building. Teaching such skills to vulnerable women that come to them for refuge helps to give them more independence and control over their lives, and better equips them to take care of their family and children. Financial skills also help them navigate stressful budget situations at home that impact their relationships.

With their own new learning about financial literacy, the Sisters talk to the women about money during their ongoing existing activities which include handicrafts and vocational sessions. They teach the women how to identify financial problems, budget, set achievable goals and saving plans, and give them insight into opportunities to earn money.

During their time at the Christian Care Centre, survivors talk with the Sisters, giving them the opportunity to discuss their relationships and home life. The chance to counsel survivors is invaluable. To help them with this, the Sisters also attend training about gender relations from a Christian-values-based perspective. This is an important part of addressing the underlying causes of gender-based violence and the traditional ideas that contribute to the harm the survivors have experienced.

With the benefit of such training, the Anglican Sisters are able to positively influence the women, giving them skills to rebuild their lives when they leave the CCC. One Anglican Sister, Sister Daisy, shared how they shine light into the lives of vulnerable women. The women are in four groups, each group sharing a house with two of the Sisters who look after them, listen to them, (sometimes overnight), and monitor them, to help them heal.

“When they come here, [the women] have the time to … dedicate themselves to learning. Some have been victims all their lives, and their husbands have not allowed them a space to learn other things to … help themselves.”

“I have seen women leave here and live good lives, some now hold very important jobs in government ministries because these mothers are well-educated. It was from … this violence, that they were not able to reach their potential.”

When women leave the Centre and return to their homes, the Anglican Sisters follow their progress, checking how they are, sometimes just listening and giving advice.

Such changes now offer young people in these Solomon Island villages a very different start to life, all because of the work of Anglican Overseas Aid which benefits their mums, aunties, and grandmothers.

At St John’s, we are committed to helping the vulnerable, and ending domestic violence. Can we contribute towards this life-changing Anglican Overseas Aid project in the Solomon Islands which has proven positive results?

Donations to Anglican Overseas Aid are tax deductible. Outreach envelopes for July are available at the Outreach Board in the narthex. Please place your donation in an Outreach envelope and place it in the Donations Box, give it to a cathedral warden, or to the Cathedral Office Monday-Friday. If you wish to receive a tax-deductible receipt, please write your name and address on the envelope. Using electronic banking, make a bank transfer to BSB 034 003 Account No:385378. Please narrate your deposit “Outreach 07” and also e-mail outreach@stjohnscathedral.com.au to inform us of your deposit (include the amount), and provide your postal/email details for the receipt. For other forms of payment, please phone the cathedral office [(07) 3835 2222] during normal business hours Monday-Friday. Cheques should be made payable to Anglican Overseas Aid. Receipts will be provided after the July appeal is completed, usually in August. Thank you.

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*The Safe Strong Communities Project receives some funding from the Australian Government, through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP).