West ‘Are’Are Rokotanikeni Association

West ‘Are’Are Rokotanikeni Association (WARA) is an indigenous women’s savings organisation that is leading the way for women in rural Solomon Islands to manage their own finances, learn to budget for household items and save for their family’s futures. WARA has pioneered a model for locally-led women’s savings clubs, who operate across Malaita Province under WARA’s centralised leadership and governance.

Since 2022, WARA also works on supporting communities to be resilient in the face of climate change, with an emphasis on women’s participation in local climate adaptation and response.

There are no formal banking services available in these areas.

West ‘Are’Are Rokotanikeni Association AND IWDA

IWDA has partnered with WARA since 2008. IWDA has supported WARA to implement a variety of initiatives over the life of this partnership.

Currently, IWDA resources WARA to implement the ‘Solomon Islands Rural Women’s Empowerment Project’ through funding from the Australian Government’s Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP). Through this project WARA aims to promote rural women’s economic empowerment and leadership through its saving club model, skill development, and awareness-building. WARA also with communities to prepare for and respond to the impacts of climate change, including a focus on increasing the representation of women in local disaster risk management committees. The project has a final focus on strengthening WARA’s organisational capacity, including through technical support from IWDA.

Quick Facts

  • An evaluation conducted in 2024 showed that there has been increased recognition of women and men’s equal capacity for and to right to representation and decision making as a result of WARA’s work. Women who are part of WARA also have increased access to and greater control of money and have been able to use these funds to start and support their own small businesses.
  • Since 2022, WARA has supported four climate-vulnerable communities in Malaita Province to establish Disaster Risk Management Committees with strong women’s representation.
  • Over the 10 year life of the savings club, members have taken out over 1000 loans and saved more than a million Solomon Islands Dollars (SBD).