New Zealand has announced a further NZD 750,000 (approximately SBD 3.4 million) in funding to help communities in the Solomon Islands recover from the impacts of Tropical Cyclone Maila.
The funding, delivered through New Zealand’s Disaster Response Partnership (NZDRP), will provide SBD 1.13 million each to ADRA New Zealand, Save the Children New Zealand, and Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand. The organisations will work with their local partners to support early recovery efforts in Western and Choiseul provinces.
Tropical Cyclone Maila struck the Solomon Islands in April 2026, peaking as a Category 5 system and bringing devastating winds, storm surges, and heavy rainfall. A state of disaster was declared for the Western and Choiseul Provinces, which bore the brunt of the storm.
The additional assistance is aimed at helping families rebuild homes, restore livelihoods, improve access to clean water and sanitation, return children to school, and strengthen community resilience against future disasters.
New Zealand High Commissioner to Solomon Islands, Jonathan Curr, said recovery continues long after emergency relief efforts have ended.
“Tropical Cyclone Maila caused widespread damage across communities that rely on their homes, gardens, and local infrastructure for everyday life. While the emergency response helped meet immediate needs, recovery takes much longer,” Curr said.
He said the funding would provide practical support to help affected families recover more quickly while reducing their vulnerability to future disasters.
“These grants will help families repair damaged homes, restore food production, improve access to safe drinking water and sanitation, support children back into school, and strengthen communities to better prepare for future disasters.”
Curr also highlighted the importance of collaboration in rebuilding communities.
“We know the best results come when governments, communities, local organisations, and development partners work together.”
Under the new funding package, ADRA will work on Kolobangara and Ranongga islands, providing shelter repair kits, hygiene kits, and community rainwater harvesting systems to improve access to safe shelter and clean water.
The project will also help households re-establish food gardens and livelihoods through agricultural support and training, while strengthening disaster preparedness through community disaster committees, early warning systems, and awareness campaigns. Around 245 households, representing up to 2,200 people, are expected to benefit.
Meanwhile, Save the Children will assist 516 households, or approximately 2,280 people, across Western and Choiseul provinces by supporting food production and household incomes through agricultural and livelihood programmes.
The organisation will also help children return to school by establishing temporary learning spaces, supporting back-to-school campaigns, and repairing damaged schools and early childhood education centres.
Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand, working with the Solomon Islands Association of Vocational and Rural Training Centres (SIAVRTC), will support around 4,000 people in 24 communities.
Its programme includes emergency food assistance, rehabilitation of food gardens, restoration of safe drinking water and sanitation, repair of damaged shelters, and improvements to community infrastructure to support long-term recovery.
The latest funding builds on New Zealand’s immediate response following Tropical Cyclone Maila, which included deploying a New Zealand Defence Force P-8A Poseidon aircraft to assess cyclone damage, providing emergency funding to the National Disaster Management Office, supporting frontline humanitarian partners, restoring health services in Gizo, and releasing more than 3.5 tonnes of pre-positioned humanitarian supplies to affected communities.
New Zealand says it remains committed to supporting the Solomon Islands through both emergency response and long-term resilience initiatives, working alongside the Solomon Islands Government, local communities, and humanitarian partners to help communities recover stronger and better prepared for future natural disasters.
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