The Solomon Islands is a group of nearly 1000 small islands to the east of Papua New Guinea  Most people live in small villages and practice subsistence agriculture.  Basic services like healthcare and education are poor and poverty levels high

The 15 or so members of the Moenga group originally come from Renbel and Bellona islands in the south.  They live in Honiara now and have no land there.

In 2004 the British High Commission sponsored a workshop run by Catherine Spicer, a micro enterprise advisor from Auckland.  The group formed from members of this workshop, who previously made baskets and tried to sell them on the streets.

(for further information on our groups in the Solomon Islands see Vital issue 17, November 2005)