light at the end of the tunnel

In the only female sanctuary in the Solomon Islands, two childhood friends revealed a secret that had been hidden for more than 40 years. Ruth (
Not her real name)
Described the shame of her concealing the truth.
She had to lie about the beating, property damage and psychological abuse suffered by her husband and later eldest son.
Her friend Leoni.
Not her real name either)
I was shocked to hear it.
She has also suffered similar abuse and has spent most of her life living in a shame of deceiving her colleagues and communities.
They lie because in Solomon, even talking about violence among friends is taboo.
It is touching to witness these strong women telling their stories.
When they describe the secret life of their abuse, their eyes are filled with tears of calm.
They are tears of deep sorrow and relief when they finally hear each other\'s stories.
* The stage of changing performance can be found here on Facebook.
There was a huge respect in the room.
Despite abuse and silence, these women let their children pass the school (
Tuition is a huge burden for the parents of Tuen Mun Island)
They all have their own businesses and they all run very successful businesses.
The release of shame occurred during the workshop on survivors of violence, which is part of the ground --
The breakthrough drama project called the stage of change.
The project, managed by the British Council of Culture, uses drama to celebrate women and openly discusses violence and its impact on all societies in the Solomon Islands.
Ingrid Leary, director of the New Zealand branch of the British Council, said that although there are other awareness
Projects on violence are often lacking in participation.
\"People are tired of people giving lectures to them, and many people don\'t read.
The theater provides a means of communication that touches their hearts and engages their humanity.
Breaking this cycle requires a degree of participation.
Drama also enables the entire community to embark on the journey so that women can work with men instead of being seen as a culture of confrontation or challenge.
\"The seminar was held on a lush tropical waterfront half an hour drive from the largest city of Honiara in the United States.
The tranquil environment is inconsistent with the high barbed wire fence surrounding the country\'s only violent shelter open to women and children.
The secret sanctuary is run by sister Dolin, a little nun who used to stare at the Challenger --
The man who follows the woman she protects.
For many years, Sister Dolin has worked closely with the police, courts, women and even the abusive themselves to eliminate violence.
Her work has made her highly respected in the Solomon family.
Leonny is from a major family and he speaks very honestly.
Despite her obvious pain, she has a strong sense of pride.
\"I am very lonely with myself because they speak, so I have no confidence to face them,\" she said . \".
\"I live with the shame that I am a bad person.
Now, because of this workshop, I look into people\'s eyes.
There is light at the end of the tunnel.
\"The\" stage of change \", the first professional theater company in the Solomon Islands, is creating a sensation in Honiara.
The company is led by New Zealand-
Fiji Nina Navarro from New Zealand
Headquartered in conch theater.
She is an international theater director whose works include the Sydney Opera House and the four seasons at the Barbican Theatre in London.
Navalo combines contemporary drama with traditional drama.
Clothing and dance remind the audience of the power and importance of women.
This, combined with the depiction of violence, brings complete silence to the audience.
\"When we present these images to our people, they are deeply touched.
\"They see a long line of women as mothers and grandmothers, and they will be back in another era,\" she said . \".
The British High Commissioner for the Solomon Islands, Dominique Mekel John, said the organization was prepared to convey a positive message to the international audience about the Solomon Islands and its women, adding that there was a great interest in the company.
It was suggested that the success of the stage of change could lead to the establishment of a national theater company, which will participate in the 5 th Melanesia art festival in Papua New Guinea in June.
The head of the EU delegation to the Solomon Islands, Eoghan Walsh, witnessed the company\'s growth over the past year.
He described this month\'s performance in the halls of the Honiara Museum as \"quiet and powerful\" and \"very touching \".
\"I was really impressed and the team has gone a long way.
There was a large group of Solomon Islanders, and they had quite a few people, one of the larger turnouts I saw at that venue.
Susan galutia, a 27-year-old company member, admitted that she was really scared when she first took the stage.
After six months at the company, she felt she could now stand up and talk confidently.
\"We have unique talents and skills.
There are cultural barriers that say women can\'t stand out, but on stage you can talk about topics that are usually taboo.
She said that through drama, the audience saw the impact of violence on women\'s lives.
Usually after the show, the audience will talk about these issues.
The man told her that the woman had the courage to stand up and do what the man could not do, and they were surprised to see the woman do so.
Like other members, she said that being a part of the company not only gave them new confidence in themselves, but also gave them new confidence in the workplace.
Many women participated in the advocacy work of non-governmental organizations, raised awareness of HIV, sexual consent, gender violence, and promoted the important role of women in Solomon society.
Janet Novo, who works for the Solomon Islands Family Planning Association (SIPPA)
As a partner at the stage of change, he said: \"We want to use drama at work because people look at things better than getting too much information through conversation.
A lot of people who work with us don\'t go to school, so drama is a way for them to understand and enjoy teaching.
Michael sarini, executive director of SIPPA, said the troupe was a breakthrough for the country.
\"Before that, there was no such thing as a theater.
Every show is excited now.
I was surprised.
Young girls walk into the theater and come out like that
Full of confidence.
\"Terry Tony, regional director for East Asia at the British Council, visited the change company in Honiara this month.
He was impressed by the confidence and artistic skills of the performers and their stage performances.
The use of drama in the female transformation is obvious to him.
\"The most powerful thing for me is to see the grace and dignity that women show on stage.
The 990 islands that make up the Solomon Islands extend 1500 km south.
East of Papua New Guinea.
It is one of the least developed countries in the Pacific, probably one of the five most familiar to New Zealanders
On 2003, the arrival of intervention forces led by Australia and New Zealand ended a year of civil war.
Regional assistance missions to the Solomon Islands (Ramsi)
The mission was officially completed on last October.
While the Solomon Islands is on the road to recovery, the rate of violence against women and girls remains high and remains a huge problem.
• Karen aprapp visited Honiara with the support of the New Zealand branch of the British Council and the New Zealand branch of the British High Council. ;
A link to the change performance phase can be found on Facebook.