Australia has continued its support of international sport development opportunities by providing a $9,700 Pacific Sport Development Grant to the remote communities of Arosi and Hanunu in West Makira, Solomon Islands.

Pacific Sport Development Grants are part of the Australian Sports Outreach Program, which is funded by the Australian Government.
In West Makira, sport development programs in soccer and netball are running.
These programs aim to develop the sporting capacity of the communities by training sports administrators and teachers from three high schools and 12 primary schools.

Skills developed through training and coaching workshops will be put to the test through an annual sporting league. The top teams from the competition will qualify for the West Makira Games, which are held in December.

Constituency Development Officer Paul Marita recognised the funding and support of the Australian Government and the Australian Sports Commission for the delivery of sport development opportunities in the Solomon Islands.

‘The funding is a huge boost for West Makira. This project will allow people, especially youths, to be occupied naturally and socially in sports. More than 10,000 people in West Makira will directly benefit from this project,’ he said.

Acting Australian High Commissioner Alison Duncan said, ‘we are very pleased to support the West Makira Constituency in implementing a sporting program, to provide opportunities for rural communities, and especially youth, to get involved in organised sport and physical a