A nine-days training of trainers (TOT) workshop on Channels of Hope for Gender (CoHG) was conducted from February 2-10 at Mendana Hotel conference room.
The workshop attended by Faith and community leaders as well as World Vision’s Gender project staff from four countries namely Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, Timor Leste and Solomon Islands aims to equip the participants with COHG methodology, for them to become trained as facilitators in preparation for implementation of the COHG Project in their respective countries.
The Channels of Hope methodology is more than just training or education, it is the transformation of ideas and subsequently of behaviour.
A statement from World Vision said, the training is designed to engage with participants in a manner that challenges their attitudes and knowledge, inspires a change of heart and behaviour, and motivates a sustained and effective response to issues that threaten the well being of communities. People trained in the Channels of Hope approach are equipped with the knowledge and the tools to mobilise their faith congregations and other groups to make a positive change.
They instigate the formation of volunteer groups that begin to introduce communities to gender injustice. The same groups also form networks that support the most vulnerable in their communities.
Pastor Fiama Rakau from Presbyterian Church in Vanuatu said, he was happy to attend the workshop and learn from World Vision’s CoHG project in the Solomon Islands.
“Gender base violence is not only happening in Solomon Islands, it is also happening in Vanuatu and I am hereto learn as much as I can from this training to be able to go back to my church, my community and my Country to try my best to help address the issue of GBV,” said Pastor Rakau.
World Vision piloted the methodology in Solomon Islands through the Honiara Community Vision for Change(CV4C) Project which began in May 2011 and ended in September 2014.
The project has been a success which has seen it extended for another three years. The CoHG workshop was also conducted for all the main stream churches in the Solomon Islands in 2012which has seen many faith leaders advocating about GBV in their churches.
The Honiara CV4C project is working towards reducing gender-base violence in five communities in Honiara and is funded by the Australian Government through World Vision Australia.
