BY SHOREYANN RAGOSO
A group of four former classmates has come together to support women and girls in Sasamuga village, Choiseul Province, after Tropical Cyclone Maila damaged homes and disrupted daily life.
The women, Mary Inasimae, Alice Hou, Anna Grace Aitorea and Goretti Kodovaru, first became friends while attending St. Joseph Catholic Secondary School, also known as Tenaru School in the 1990s. Although they later lived and worked in different places, they remained close over the years.
When they learned that Goretti Kodovaru’s home village in Sasamuga, South Choiseul had been badly affected by the cyclone, the group decided to help in a practical way.
“We wanted to support women and girls because menstrual hygiene items are often forgotten during disaster responses,” the group explained.
The friends focused on collecting sanitary supplies for mothers and schoolgirls. They launched a three-week fundraising campaign and used photos and videos from the village to support their online appeal.
The women named the package the “Women and Girls Dignity Kit.”
Through donations from friends and supporters, they raised a total of $6,340. The money was used to buy sanitary supplies, which were sent to Sasamuga Village on the Pelican Express on May 1, 2026.
On the ground, Goretti Kodovaru coordinated with village representatives to collect the supplies at Taro. The group also worked closely with Ward 5 representative Honorable Florence Vasaro to organize the distribution.
The sanitary items were later delivered to Sasamuga Hospital and Sasamuga Community High School.
Hospital staff and school leaders thanked the women for their support.
“These supplies will help mothers and girls manage menstrual hygiene during this emergency,” one staff member said.
The group said the remaining funds will be used to prepare similar dignity kits for another community in Western Province. They plan to spend the next three weeks organizing more fundraising activities.
The four friends also hope to promote long-term solutions in the future.
“Right now we are helping with immediate needs, but we hope one day schools can learn to sew reusable hygiene products,” they said.
The women are also considering registering a formal organization or trust to continue supporting women and girls during disasters across the Solomon Islands.
“We are close to retirement and see this as a meaningful way to continue serving others,” they added.
The group thanked everyone who donated and said the success of the project showed the importance of honesty, trust and accountability when helping communities in need.
