SOLOMON Islands Development Trust (SIDT) and the Faumamanu community of East Malaita successfully completed a one-day forum on Friday.

The theme was “bridging the gap between people, policy makers and practitioners for positive change”.

The forum included NGOs, the Malaita provincial government, Office of the Ombudsman, chiefs, members from the communities around Faumamanu and other stakeholders.

According to Director SIDT, Longden Manedika, the purpose of the forum was to share with the villagers their development plans and their success stories from their communities.

He adds that it was also an opportunity to learn about the work of the Malaita provincial government and (MPG) and the national government with the NGOs.

“Faumamanu with the support of a local NGO SIDT has been working together since 2016.

“We have organised trainings and workshops for the people of the community at Faumamanu and members from the surrounding communities where I believe with those trainings they have wider knowledge of what we are trying to discuss in the forum.

“Our working together since last year is to find ways of how to bridge the gap between village leaders, provincial and national leaders in terms of planning together to meet the rural villagers aspirations and dreams.

“The community at Faumamanu believes that organising a village forum like this will provide the opportunity for the provincial and national leaders, key holders both organisations and community members to share knowledge which will empower its people,” Manedika said.