Building a permanent house for a rural dweller at the north east Guadalcanal is not easy task. The scarcity of natural resources and the increasing price of materials and other important necessities are no doubt hindrances.
Numbu village, a village community at the north east Guadalcanal has established a community development trust called the ‘Numbu Community Development Trust’ at the beginning of this year to easy the problem.
Numbu community development Trust is a community based organization which oversees the overall affairs of the community and sets its priority focus on housing, water, sanitation and education.
The overall vision of the trust is ‘Alleviating extreme poverty and raising the highest standard of living that deemed possible” in its 10 year strategic plans.’
The main theme of the housing project is to bear one another’s burden on a communal base work plan that requires very small and affordable financial support from the house owner when construction is completed.
The community trust is committed to see that its members depleting forest resource will be highly protected from foreign logging exploitation in order to cater for another 250 houses in 10 years time.
Last Saturday more than 50 members of the trust assembled at the Numbu SSEC Church hall for a tool presentation.
The tool presentation program was organized by the chairman of the trust board Mr. Silent Kobia and his executives in preparation of the community’s housing project which was partly funded by Hon Dr Derek Sikua under the livelihood project.
A total of $600.00 worth of basic carpentry tools is being required from each of the 50 members whom they then presented the items among themselves.
The basic tools included hand saw, hammer, spirit level, combination square plus other small items. The cost of tools is valued at around $30,000.00.
Mr Kobia applauded all members of the development trust and reaffirm that community team work is crucial for development in the rural areas.
In addition timber cutting list of about 20 houses and a boy’s dormitory for Numbu community high school have already been milled and awaiting transportation from the milling area to the construction site.
Timber materials for more than 8 houses have arrived to the construction site and work is progressing well.
The work program for construction of the buildings is set to commence in later this month.
By Samson Marcus
Secretary Numbu community Development Trust
