7 April 2016
Australia Supports Affordable housing.
Australia is supporting the development of affordable residential property in Honiara through the placement of a newly-arrived Australian Business Volunteer.
Ms Roseline Deleu, Market Analysis Expert and Home Designer, will work with Solomon Islands Home Finance Limited (SIHFL) over the next three months to assist the organisation to meet its main objective of developing affordable residential properties and housing options in the capital.
SIHFL General Manager Mr Geoffrey Samuel says the organisation looks forward to benefiting from Roseline’s time with them.
“In Honiara, there is an unmet need for residential housing however we do not have the data to prove this. We look forward to working with Roseline to undertake research which will assist to develop a housing development strategy for the next 5 or so years.”
“This assistance through the Australian Business Volunteer scheme will provide us the required market data on demand for residential housing to enable the design of quality affordable homes that are suitable for Solomon Islanders.”
Roseline brings to the organisation more than 20 years’ experience in running her own successful home design business, focussing on increasing the well-being and health of residents and incorporating design features that meet demographic and cultural needs both in Australia and other parts of the world.
“I look forward to sharing my experiences, as much as possible with the Solomon Islands Home Finance Team in designing and implementing appropriate housing for Solomon Islanders, taking into consideration the climate and the culture and at a price that would be affordable for the population here,” said Roseline.
Australian Business Volunteers use business expertise and the transfer of business skills to drive inclusive economic growth and well-being. Australian Business Volunteers work to strengthen the private sector in variety of different ways, from small business mentoring to economic institutional strengthening. Business Volunteers are a significant part of the Australian Volunteers for International Development program which sees 45 new volunteers work in Solomon Islands each year.