Kekoro Women's Association Coconut Oil Project

Women are key players in rural development and users of natural resources in Solomon Islands.

Currently, most women on Ranongga Island are primarily engaged in managing households - caring for children, cooking and cleaning, gardening, fishing and collecting shellfish. To earn income, women produce handicrafts, which are sold locally; also produce copra, and sell their garden surplus in markets or in Gizo town.

The Kekoro Women's Association, formed in 1998, brings together women from central-west Ranongga to address issues of resource management and income generation. They have approached WWF for logistical and capacity building support to help them meet their goals.

The objectives of the Kekoro Women's Association are to promote the economic and social interests of members of the communities - especially women, while respecting and valuing the natural environment and resources. The Association aims to:

• Promote income opportunities for women
• Provide job opportunities for young school dropouts
• Help women market their products
• Maximize income opportunities by value-adding at the community level
• Develop new product ideas
• Offer training opportunities to rural women

In April 2000, WWF assisted some members of the Kekoro Women's Association to visit a Direct Micro Expelling Coconut Oil project in Rarumana village, Vona Vona Lagoon, Western Province. There they saw for themselves how oil is extracted and produced using simple, portable technology. Witnessing and experiencing how the machine works, how many people are needed to operate the project, and how much the Rarumana community benefits, the women decided to try to set up a similar project within their own communities.

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