Political Support for Sistas Savve from MP Douglas Ete

To mark the graduation and end of the 10-week training for the Mbokanavera 4 (MB4) Community last week, a touching and celebratory graduation was held at the YWCA in Honiara. Sunday Isles was on the spot, along with several other news outlets, to cover the occasion.  

Douglas Ete, MP for East Honiara, held a speech highlighting the challenges young women in Solomon Islands face in terms of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), and praised Sistas Savve:

"Sistas Savve is a great example of how we can build sexual and reproductive health and rights into comprehensive life and livelihood training for young women, who have not had the chance to complete a formal education. These women’s new knowledge and skills will impact not only their families, but their entire communities. I see these women as peer educators and advocates. I am very inspired by Sistas Savve, and will certainly be highlighting it at Parliament." 

Ete also said that he would be working towards spotlighting Solomon Islands' track record on SRHR in his political work:

"I am now working towards conducting a select committee hearing on adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights at the Solomon Islands Parliament later this year. Hopefully, we will be able to map out what is being done in this area in the Solomons, and identify gaps that need to be addressed. I want to thank the New Zealand Government for its supporting the Sistas Savve project, as one of the few initiatives promoting women’s empowerment and health in Solomon Islands. Together with my fellow MPs, I look forward to supporting this effort in whichever way we can."

We are proud to have Honourable Ete support the Sistas Savve project!