BY JOHN HOUANIHAU
THE sporting grounds in a rural community in the West Are’Are region of Malaita province in the Solomon Islands have earlier this year been upgraded through the hired support of a foreign logging company.
Over the years, the growing community of Hauhui village, West Are’are have invested their community time to ensure villagers can engage in sporting activities, however, the challenge was the lack of support from their local politicians to pursue expansion and upgrade of their soccer (football) pitch and netball court.
Earlier this year, a logging company operating at Heo village in West Are’Are offered their hired time to expand and upgrade the village sporting settings with their road grader machinery.
A villager from Hauhui Village, Peter told Raw Sports that the upgrade work on the community sporting grounds started earlier this year and it’s expected to complete at the end of this year.
He said once the upgrade work is completed they hope to host sporting tournaments during this year’s Christmas festive season.
“The upgrade work was financed through $100 per head contributions from the Hauhui people and the surrounding communities to engage the support of the logging company.
“The upgrade work is fully financed by the members of our community.
“We hired the grader machines and operators to undertake such huge task of upgrade and expansion work.
“Sometimes, we offer local chicken upon the request of the grader operators,” Peter said.
He said that: Sports always bring unity among the community of Hauhui and other neighboring villages.
“It has helped to avoid conflicts and social differences with other neighboring communities.”
He said the upgrade development plan of the community is also to create venues for other sports like volleyball, tennis court, and other alternative sports to engage their growing community to stay fit and healthy.
