TDA supports the local communities living on islands around Tetepare through a range of programs such as conservation incentive programs, employment and education. Supporting local communities helps protect Tetepare Island because providing alternative income sources reduces the pressure on Tetepare’s marine and terrestrial resources and rewards local Solomon Islanders for conserving their land.
Community members in Baniata village benefit financially from the leatherback conservation incentive program on neighbouring Rendova Island. This program rewards members of local communities for finding, recording and protecting leatherback turtle nests on their local beaches. Read more about our leatherback community incentive program, and other TDA conservation programs here.
Descendants benefit from having access to a healthy marine ecosystem on Tetepare – this is particularly important for local communities who depend on artisanal fishing resources. All over the world, fisheries are collapsing, and the Pacific is no exception. But the waters around Tetepare support healthy fish populations, thanks to the ranger-enforced Marine Protected Area (MPA). While Tetepare’s MPA is a permanent no-take zone and cannot be fished, the area acts as a nursery and refuge for fish, and ultimately helps to boost fish numbers outside the protected area. Regular marine monitoring has shown Tetepare’s reefs and fish numbers are healthy, both inside and outside the MPA. Descendants come to the island regularly to harvest resources. They fish, dive for trochus and crayfish and hunt pigs. The island, with its abundant resources, is seen as a larder for feasts, where people can access good stocks of resources thanks to the sustainable management practices of the TDA. We lead by example – showing people how conservation can be a benefit rather than an administrative burden.
TDA has provided members with equipment and training to start or expand micro-enterprises such as family bakeries, sewing businesses, market gardens and piggeries. Previous projects have also included marketing locally-grown Ngali Nuts for sale in Honiara, helping local carvers sell their carvings.
The TDA has worked hard to ensure women are actively involved in the Tetepare project, and included in training programs and employment opportunities. The TDA has run several workshops for women from TDA communities, including a WWF-funded Women in Fisheries workshop on Tetepare, for women from Rendova Island, about the sustainable use of fisheries resources, and a Small Business Management course for women from Rendova run by the College of Higher Education. TDA women have also received training in cooking, guiding and hospitality and are employed in a range of roles within the Tetepare project, including hospitality, guiding and conservation monitoring. A team of female seagrass monitors conducts an annual Seagrass Watch and clam survey on Tetepare. TDA constitution mandates women be included on the TDA board.
TDA has coordinated financial literacy programs and women’s savings clubs for Tetepare descendants in remote villages. With the aim of building financial confidence and independence, participatory workshops are being run that cover topics such as household cash management, budgeting, savings, and basic business management. Village participants are learning how they can work towards their own goals such as saving for school fees for their children, or buying their own sewing machines or agricultural equipment to start or improve small businesses. There has been a particular focus on women’s involvement in these programs, as it is widely recognised that an improvement in women’s ability to manage their finances directly improves the well-being of their families.