Kawaki founder Marilyn Ghedi awarded Commonwealth Points of Light Award

Founder of the Katupika, Wagina and Kia (Kawaki) Women’s Group, Marilyn Ghedi has been awarded with the Commonwealth Points of Light over the weekend.

The current Kawaki Chair who hails from the remote village of Kia, Isabel province received the award from Her Majesty the Queen for her efforts around community conservation.

According to non-profit organisation, The Nature Conservancy, Marilyn has inspired women across three communities to unite and celebrate community conservation in the islands through Kawaki.

The Group’s vision is to unite women around conservation, culture and community to create a better future for their children.

British High Commissioner to Solomon Islands, His Excellency Dr Brian Jones said there are many reasons as to why Mrs Marilyn is a true Point of Light:

Her leadership of Kawaki and empowering women, bringing them together in remote island communities, her focus on conservation in the Arnavons and her belief in making her community and country better.

I salute her and look forward to visiting Kawaki in the Arnavon Islands shortly to learn more about their work and community.

As the first female Police Officer in Solomon Islands, she has inspired women across the provinces to unite and celebrate community conservation, raise awareness about the islands, build better futures for families and promote sustainable marine resource management.

Her innovation through Kawaki has laid the foundations for conservation, inter-tribal cooperation and gender empowerment.

She described the moment as speechless:

I am speechless! I did not anticipate or expect anything like this to happen. I came up with the idea purposely to set a space for the women in Kia, Wagina and Katupika to connect, share ideas and help the women grow through involving in conservation work.

Thank you to the British High Commission for nominating me. I am humbled to receive this award, and I dedicate it to all my Kawaki sisters and friends of Kawaki, who without the Kawaki work and influence in the communities, wouldn’t be known and heard beyond our communities.