Scavenging to Survive

This is the side of Honiara many choose to turn a blind eye to. With cost of living soaring at an alarming rate, it is no surprise young children are now roaming the streets scavenging for bottles and tins to sell as a means of survival.

Solomon Times met up with a young 11 year-old boy who said that every day, he picks up empty cans around the city to sell.

The young child who request not to be named said that a day's earning does not even reach $10.

"The money that I make from selling the empty tins is what feeds me and my Mum," the young boy said.

He told Solomon Times that he lives with his Mum at the Ranadi dumps in the eastern part of Honiara.

Asked how he gets from Ranadi to town in light of the increase in bus fares, the young child said that sometimes he pays for bus fares "but most times the bus owners give me free rides".

"I grew up living at Ranadi and life is very hard for me and my Mum because some days, we gave no food so we live on water," he said.

Solomon Times was informed that the Ranadi dump has always been home for him.

"From the day I was born, I have never been to my home village because Mum never takes me there," he said.

The story of this young 11 year-old is just one among the growing number of young children scavenging the streets of Honiara.

There have been calls by NGOs for the government to take note of the matter before it gets out of hand.