Meet the team

Som-Ling has been a dentist for more than 20 years. She has worked in rural and remote areas of Australia, and started volunteering in East Makira in 2013, aiming to prevent dental disease amongst children.

During this time, she learnt of the difficulties associated with inadequate access to water and the complex health issues in rural Solomon Islands and chose to return to study a Masters of International Health at Monash University to broaden her understanding of international development.

Som-Ling was drawn to this community because of their work ethic, honesty and impressive youth leaders, who had helped her with the dental project over the years with no financial reward. She recognised the massive impact and potential of this project and is excited to be part of it.

Alastiar has spent 18 years working in the water and engineering industry, primarily within the agricultural sector in New Zealand. He owns the Water Shed, the primary supporter of this project.

Alastair is from the province of Taranaki, in New Zealand, where he lives with his four children, and his wife Marian.

He spent part of his childhood in Wewak, PNG in the mid 80’s, and always felt a strong pull to go back to PNG later in life

In 2018, David Nunn from Pacific Koha introduced Alistair to the Torah Water team and he is excited to combine his work experience with his love of the Melanesian culture towards  helping people in need.  

Kevin has worked as a Melbourne-based paramedic for the last twenty years.  Prior to this, he was as a fitter & machinist working in manufacturing.

Kevin has extensive experience working in resource poor developing countries, including as a Paramedic in post-referendum Timor Leste (2000), and extended deployment to Vanuatu (2001-02), and then returning to Timor Leste in 2012 to conduct advocacy work with The Leprosy Mission.

He is currently coordinator of a team, who is raising awareness and funds for maternal and child health, by conducting a 550 kilometre trek across noth-western Myanmar to India.

In 2017, Kevin completed his Master of International Health at Monash University  and undertook his primary health studies in Jamkhed, India.

Kim joins the team as a highly experienced educator, with a strong research background to ensure this programme uses best practice in health education.

Kim is a lecturer in the field of Immunology, working with a mix of science, biomedical, and medical students.  She has also spent time teaching refugee children maths and English as part of a volunteer program.

Kim has completed a PhD and Diploma of Secondary Education, and, in 2018, a Master of Public Health, with a strong focus on international health. This provides her a solid foundation to design engaging health education material.

Kim demonstrated a great rapport with the local population and is excited to extend her skills to promoting leadership and education within the Torah Community.

Joy has been selected by the community as one of three financial coordinators in Honiara and is the primary communication and cultural adviser for the project.

Joy was born in the Torah Community and her father was the original settler and chief of Torah Village.

After growing up in Torah until 1968, Joy attended boarding school and studied at Suu National Secondary School, then studied Business studies at the Honiara Technical Institute.

Joy currently works as the Operations Manager of Amwata Shipping Company. Prior to this, she served in the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force and as a financial supervisor for RAMSI.

Joy has dedicated much time towards this project to ensure accountability on both sides, culturally appropriate sustainable solutions are adopted.