YWCA Solomon Islands has hosted a number of volunteers through the Australia Youth Ambassadors for Development (AYADs) and Australian Volunteer for International Development (AVID) programs, in both Honiara and in their Munda branch. Another volunteer will be starting with the YWCA Solomon Islands in 2012.

Joanne Brislane from Melbourne has just finished two years living and working in the remote community of Munda, Western Province and has shared her insights:

Living somewhere with cold showers, regular blackouts and a serious lack of chocolate might not sound like a dream to most people, but I can honestly say missing out on some of life’s little luxuries has done little to dull the wonderful experience of volunteering with YWCA Solomon Islands.

Thanks to the support of YWCA Australia, I have been placed for almost two years by Australian Volunteer for International Development (AVID) as Program Advisor to YWCA in the remote but stunning location of Munda, Solomon Islands. I have had the chance to talk to, listen to and learn from a group of inspiring, courageous and passionate women who are always ready to laugh and dedicated to work for positive change in their community.

We’ve created dramas, run a women’s literacy project, talked to hundreds ofYWCA Munda Rise Up! participants girls about the important (but often ignored) issues of menstruation and sexual health and we’ve helped run the amazing Rise Up! Young Women’s Leadership program in several locations.

But at the end of the long (and hot!) day, the memories I will take home are those of the stories and sisterhood I have shared with the women of the Solomons and a strengthened belief in the potential of young women everywhere to be worthy leaders at all levels of the community.

Joanne Brislane, Volunteer Program Advisor, YWCA Munda

» Find out more about the YWCA Solomon Islands