2009 Solomon Islands project

The Solomon Islands, an island nation in the southwest Pacific, east of New Guinea and about three hour's flight from Brisbane, Australia, is one of the poorest countries in Oceania. This has to do in part with ethnic conflicts, during which the country's infrastructure has been largely destroyed, most recently in 1998. The majority of the Solomon Islands' indigenous population lives a simple life without running water or electricity.

Activities focusing on clean water

In 2009 Geberit financed two subprojects in full and implemented them in cooperation with the international aid agency ADRA and with the support of Mike Horn and his Pangaea team.

• A toilet block and showers, a new water supply system with a pump, pipelines and water tanks plus a two-kilometer fresh water pipeline were installed in a primary school located by the ocean (Babaca Village School) on the island of Guadalcanal.
   
• A toilet block with four WCs - with bucket flushing in accordance with local conditions - as well as two showers including a new waste-water tank system were built for a hospital further inland (New Tenabuti Clinic).
   
• Village residents, hospital staff and school children were given information on and trained in basic hygiene and water consumption so that they know how precious clean water is and what effects pollution can have. In addition, a water and health committee was set up to monitor and ensure sustainability.
   

At work with Mike Horn and Pangaea

On his trip around the world, Mike Horn stopped off in the Solomon Islands in August 2009. The work on site was planned such that Mike and his team were able to actively support local aid workers. The local population thanked Mike Horn and his team as well as Geberit - represented by Christian Stauber, Managing Director Geberit Australia - with a traditional Solomon celebration.