Australia’s Direct Aid Program supports 12 more community-led projects across SI

The Australian Government, through the Direct Aid Program (DAP), is pleased to fund 12 additional community-led projects, taking the total number of DAP-funded projects to 19 for the 2021 calendar year.

On 12 November, Counsellor (Political) Kevin Playford and DAP Manager Laura Wilson congratulated the successful project applicants during a handover ceremony at the Australian High Commission. The 12 projects in this round will support communities across Solomon Islands, including in Isabel, Western, Choiseul, Malaita and Central Provinces and in Honiara.

In line with Australia’s COVID-19 Development Response, the DAP team encouraged project applications which helped build COVID-19 resilience, particularly in the education, health and sanitation sectors. We also prioritised projects which benefitted disadvantaged groups such as women, youth and people with disability, as well as those from remote communities, including projects that build climate change resilience.

The approved projects include classroom building refurbishments, water supply and restoration works, installation of a school dormitory fence and support to build a seawall.

Counsellor (Political) Kevin Playford urged the Project Coordinators to complete the projects in a comprehensive and timely manner. He advised the Project Coordinators to build awareness about their projects in their communities and to ensure the projects benefit as many community members as possible.

We wish the project coordinators all the best with the implementation of their projects and look forward to visiting their projects and communities in due course. 

DAP is a small grants-based program, which supports community-led projects. Applications are available free of charge on our website or can be picked up from the Australian High Commission in Honiara.