AFTER 50 YEARS, DAVID AND PETER LEARNED TO READ

HONIARA, Solomon Islands – HIGH above Honiara, along the steep paths of Nine Ridge, the sound of celebration carried through the community.

Families gathered. Certificates were clutched tightly. And among the proud graduates were two men who had waited more than half a century for this moment.

At 58 years old, David Malefo and Peter Caleb Pauihi are learning to read and write for the very first time.

For most of their lives, this was something they lived without.

Now it is something they carry with pride.

Nine Ridge, a hilltop community about 10 minutes out from Chinatown, is home to more than 800 residents. Like many communities across Solomon Islands, access to education has not always been guaranteed – especially for older generations.

But over the past eight weeks, something changed.

Through the Community Access and Urban Services Enhancement II (CAUSE II) Project, in partnership with the Literacy Association of Solomon Islands (LASI), more than 20 men, women and youths in the community committed themselves to an intensive literacy training program.

On 17 April 2026, 24 participants graduated with certificates from the literacy training program.

Among them were David and Peter.

For David, the journey was not just about learning – it was about proving something to himself.

“When I heard about the training, I wanted to attend,” he said. “But some of my family members discouraged me. Even my children told me I was too old to go back to school.”

He paused, reflecting on the past.

“But I did not stop. I joined the training. And today, I am very happy – because I can now read and write. For more than 50 years, this felt impossible.”

Standing nearby, his family watched with pride.

“We are very proud of him,” they said. “We are happy that he can now read and write.”

Peter’s story is much the same – decades without formal education, followed by one life-changing decision.

“I am a man who never went to school,” he said quietly. “But these past eight weeks have helped me achieve something big in my life.”

He looked down at his certificate, then back up again.

“Now, I can read and write.”

For Peter, the moment was emotional – not just for himself, but for his family.

“I am very grateful to CAUSE II and LASI. My children are also grateful. This means a lot to us.”

Programs like this are about more than literacy. They are about dignity, confidence and opportunity. By integrating literacy training into its broader community development work, CAUSE II is ensuring that participants gain not only short-term employment opportunities, but also the foundational skills needed to improve their long-term futures.

Through its partnership with LASI, the program delivers structured, community-based-learning – reaching those who have often been left behind, including women, youth and other vulnerable groups.

Supported by the World Bank and the Australian Government through the Government of Solomon Islands, the initiative is already making a measurable difference – and it is not stopping here.   

Following successful implementation in Honiara and Guadalcanal, similar literacy programs will be rolled out in Auki (Malaita Province), Noro, Munda and Gizo (Western Province) – bringing the same opportunities for communities there.

Back in Nine Ridge, the celebrations have ended, but the impact remains.

For David and Peter, the ability to read and write is more than a skill.

It is independence. It is confidence. It is a second chance – more than 50 years in the making.

And for their community, it is proof that it is never too late to learn.

Now that David, Peter other Nine Ridge literacy graduates have acquired basic literacy and numeracy skills, they are eligible to participate in the CAUSE II Redi4Waka program, which provides a seven-day life skills training course. Upon successful completion, they become eligible for short-term employment as community workers under the CAUSE II Project.

CAUSE II, implemented by the Solomon Islands Government, is supported by the World Bank and the Australian Government through the PNG and Pacific Islands Umbrella Facility Multi-Donor Trust Fund. The initiative aims to improve urban infrastructure, strengthen climate resilience, and create employment opportunities across key urban centers in Solomon Islands.

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