Gilo students with the new toilet facilities.
New facilities bring health and hope
The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) Solomon Islands has celebrated a milestone achievement with the completion of a fully funded renovation and sanitation improvement project for Gilo Primary School in northeast Guadalcanal.
The celebration took place on March 14 at the school compound and was attended by government and local community representatives.
The project was fully funded by ADRA Australia through the ADRA Solomon Islands Turn on the Tap (TOTT) project. The renovation and improvement work began in December 2025 and was successfully completed at the end of February 2026.
Gilo Primary School was identified by the TOTT project team as having an urgent need for renovation and improvement of its existing sanitation facilities to meet current standards.
Speaking during the official handover of the facilities and celebrations, John Botsi, Minister for Education with the Guadalcanal Provincial Government, said he was honoured to be there to celebrate the milestone achievement.
“Guadalcanal Provincial Government is pleased to witness and be part of this important achievement and celebration of the sanitation improvement and renovation project,” he said.
“To the school committee and the Gilo community, these facilities are a gift, but you must take responsibility for their maintenance and sustainability. The renovation and improvement were costly, especially as the facilities were previously rundown.”
The school’s deputy head mistress, Roselyn Ohukeni, thanked ADRA for the renovation and improvement work.
“Previously, we had sanitation facilities that were rundown, and the school could not maintain or improve them to the required standard,” she said.
“But today, I would like to thank ADRA for improving these facilities and for building an extension to the current ablution block with two additional toilet units. These improvements will benefit not only our students but also our teachers who are currently residing on the school campus.”
Gilo Primary School currently has nine teachers and an enrolment of 262 students from Grades 1 to 6.—Denver Newter
