Christian Care Centre

The Christian Care Centre was established by the Sisters of the Church in Honiara, the capital of the Solomon Islands. Led by sister Catherine Rosa, the Centre gives support and accommodation to women and children who are victims of domestic violence. It is open to families of all races and religions.

Sometimes the Centre is overcrowded with families, some with up to eight children, who sleep in the twenty rooms there. The Sisters offer counselling and activities for victims, and give them a safe haven with beds and food.

Some communities in the Solomon Islands have become increasingly vulnerable to sexual exploitation and abuse. Action is needed to raise awareness and change social attitudes about violence and improve the status of women.

The CCC has a vital role in the Solomon Islands, and needs support to continue its work, caring for women and children.

A stove for the CCC

In 2011, St Philip's raised money for a stove for a Christian Care Centre. Beryl Gowty organised this with Lilian Sauni, the Grant Coordinator of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community in Honiara. Lilian writes:

"The sisters put the stove in the new leaf house next to the custom kitchen and really thank you and your church for donating it to them. As you know it has been wet over the last couple of weeks and in their area it becomes swampy and hard to find firewood. The stove has really helped them ... the sisters also are teaching the mothers how to bake and often bake sweet bread for the kids. They can't say thank you enough."

Lilian bought a stove and two medium sized gas cylinders (light enough for the sisters to lift). ... she might buy baking trays with the remaining money as she saw they did not have any there (and use it for gas refills as well). The picture shows Sister Doreen and Sally in front of the new stove.

A report from Beryl Gowty on her recent visit to the Christian Care Centre.

I was met with a wonderful Melanesian smile and greeted warmly. After a brief chat with Lani (the Centre administrator and long time friend and Centre worker), as well as several of the Sisters, Sister Doreen invited me to visit the Christian Care Centre

We drove in a 4 wheel drive ute from the Sisters' house in Honiara, past the airport. Then we turned off the main road and drove through cocoa plantations towards the sea. Reaching our destination, I wondered about the isolation—the advantages and disadvantages, but it is a safe haven for the women and children who, on the whole are referred by the police and the hospital.

The Centre can house 20 women with up to 4 children each, and Sister Doreen told me that only last week-end they were completely full. The compound is well maintained with a border of colourful plants adding beauty with the beach close by—a place for calm and meditation. The Centre has a small Chapel and a light and friendly room used for counselling.

Some parts of the Solomon Islands are matrilineal which may offer a little protection for some women but with mixed marriages and a breakdown of culture and values this may not always be the case. Domestic violence and rape is a problem that is country wide and occurs across all areas of society.

The Centre run by the sisters is the ONLY one in Honiara, which contributes to the responsibility and the enormity of the task borne by the Sisters. I saw quite a few signs around the town, sponsored by international and local NGOs denouncing violence against women, so there is an increasing awareness program in place. Drunkenness mostly contributes to the levels of domestic violence with the familiar stories of stress, survival, and poverty also being contributing factors.

However the sisters have documented a large increase in rape and particularly rape and sexual abuse of children (up to 70%), rape within marriage as well as an increase in incest cases.

Another area of concern that the sisters have become aware of is the increase in human trafficking and prostitution, presently between the various islands of the Solomons, but there is a fear that with the increase in prosperity mostly due to the gold mines, the logging of timber and foreign investment, this could become a wider problem.

Sister Doreen has been working on an awareness programme with students from a high school. These students then have become the educators going to other schools with the message, using role plays etc.