January 14, 2025
Capacity strengthening requires a wholistic approach
Representatives from eight Solomon Island provinces came together for AVI and Plan International’s ‘Writeshop’, sharing the skills needed for writing grant applications.
Empowerment and capacity strengthening is core to AVI and Plan International’s program AHP Disaster READY. Funded by the Australian Humanitarian Partnership, the program works with communities in the Pacific to listen, invest and prepare them in the face of extreme climate change and adaptation.
The grant proposal writeshop is another significant step towards empowering local communities by offering them the skills to secure their own funding for community initiatives. This activity was facilitated by a local expert Eddie Haikau Huitarau whose personal and professional experience further enhanced the learning experience of the participants.
The writeshop topics ranged from the principles of fundraising to the monitoring and evaluation tools. The practical exercises allowed them to focus on a project in their communities while utilising the skills they were learning to plan their proposal, put together a budget and in doing so, recognise the importance of research and proper planning for a project and community-led development.
The event was attended by representatives from eight of the 12 provinces in Ngatokae that Plan International Solomon Islands works with, including men, women, and youth.