WOMEN of Niuleni and Funafou highlighted the Fakaloloma Sanitation Project as a huge transformation beneficial to the people in the artificial island.

A huge change in terms of clean water and proper sanitation for women of Funafou and Niuleni, artificial islands in Lau Lagoon of Malaita province.

The establishment of Fakaloloma Sanitation Project relieves women of the burden of travelling 3.6km to the mainland three times a day for fetching clean water.

It is a common practice in Malaita that women take the lead in household matters, but life in artificial island is difficult when it comes to clean water.

Mrs Linda Tony from Subaro tribe explains that since they started settling in the Island, water is one most of the difficult aspects prevalent for women in the community.

Due to the importance of water, measured against its scarcity in the artificial islands, even during bad weathers, women are forced to take the arduous journey to the mainland in search of water.

She said women were also not given privacy when it comes to lavatory.

Mrs Tony said the life they have gone through many years ago is complicated and risky for them.

“Before life was hard in terms of water, we have to travel by canoe to collect water despite rain, wind and rough sea we must go,” Mrs Tony said.

Mrs Tony said now they are overwhelmed chiefs and community leaders made this initiative possible enabling artificial life easy and sufficient for them, especially women.

“We really happy through our leader’s corporation to know our island needs they influences government to fund the project,” Mrs Tony said.

Meanwhile, with the water difficulty now out of the way, Mrs Tony said their challenges are literacy education, transportation and clinic.

“In artificial islands other thing need to consider at this stage is clinic which at some occasion accident occur we travel distance some risky when it come to serious condition—clinic here will help whole Lau/Mbaelelea constituency,” Mrs Tony said.

Mrs Susan Batakeni Philip, wife of Chief Fereilalo tribe, said she is excited FSP executive strongly backed this project and made it a successful one.

She said the project has really transformed their way of living, and introduces new life style that will benefit generations to come.

Mrs Philip said she will make sure community look after the facilities well, and at good condition.

“I am thanking the committee in Honiara for taking about this project, and I’m very excited because we achieved a milestone—before life was hard for us in this Island,” Mrs Philip said.