IMPLEMENTATION OF CLTS SANITATION PROJECT ON VELA ISLAND STARTS

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The implementation of the Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) project on Vela La Vela Island in the Western Province by Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) has officially commenced this week, receiving substantial support from local communities after a month of community consultations.
CLTS is an approach primarily utilized in developing countries to enhance sanitation and hygiene practices within communities. This methodology aims to instigate behavioural changes, predominantly among rural populations, through a process of "triggering," leading to the spontaneous and enduring abandonment of open defecation practices.
The Vela ADRA Team during the past months conducted pre-triggering and triggering exercises across 25 projects sites in North and South Vela.
Community leaders, including children and women from each of these communities, actively participated in significant numbers during the pre-triggering and triggering exercise activities.
The CLTS approach empowers communities to conduct their own assessments and analyses of open defecation, mobilizing individuals to identify and address their sanitation and hygiene needs.
The Pre-Triggering phase involves assessing communities for their suitability for CLTS intervention that involves visits and to identify communities likely to respond positively to triggering. Also, facilitators establish understanding with community members, laying the foundation for a
collaborative relationship.
Patrick Olapitu, Project Officer for ADRA under the National Solomon Islands Sanitation
Sustainability Plan (NSSP) on Vela La Vela, said that the implementation of the CLTS program is now officially underway at certain communities.
He said the digging of toilet pit in each community across Vela La Island, where the projects are being implemented, has commenced with strong community support.
Mr. Olapitu highlighted the active participation of the local youth, stating, "All youths in the community have come out in numbers to support us with this sanitation project.’’‘’Representatives from each household are actively involved in digging their own toilet pit.”

Each household is generously contributing by preparing food for the youths engaged in this community sanitation project,’’Mr Olapitu said.
Meanwhile this week ADRA Vela team currently doing monitoring in all projects sites making sure mplementation of this CLTS is well underway and go on smoothly.
ADRA Solomon Islands is presently executing the Solomon Islands National Sanitation Sustainability Plan (NSSP) Sanitation Project across Vela, Rannogah, and Kolobangara Islands in the Western Province.
The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has generously funded the project, implemented by ADRA Solomon Islands across these islands from September 2023 to September 2024.
The primary objective of this initiative is to enhance the delivery of sustainable sanitation services at both provincial and national levels, while simultaneously fostering improved hygiene behaviors within the communities.

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