Lost Opportunities - a generation of Melanesian Women Leaders

In a speech about success, Angelina Jolie once said, “I have never understood why some people are lucky enough to be born with the chance that I had… and why somewhere across the world, there’s a woman just like me, same abilities and the same desires… only she sits in a refugee camp.” Three years of high school history classes and hundreds of life lessons later, not only do I not understand, but I refuse to accept this reality. 

The girls I met on my journey to the Solomon Islands do not sit in a refugee camp, but they do face their own innate struggles with financial and cultural barriers that often dictate their lives. Imagine a place where under 1 in 7 girls graduate from high school. In a society that revolves around and deeply depends on education; this is a crisis. 

I met Dorcus Lui summer of 2024 when my mom and I took a trip to the Solomon Islands to deliver school supplies to students through the Melenisian Women Today program. With a bright smile and clever conversation for days, I remember thinking how she was sure to do great things one day. Standing atop bassoded grass, surrounded by crumbling concrete and bright-eyed enthusiasm, she was a clear leader among the students. A former MWT scholarship recipient, Dorcus has since moved on to study at the University of South Pacific in Fiji. 

I decided to reach out to Dorcus a few weeks ago to ask if she would be willing to share her story. She responded with resounding enthusiasm and a few heartfelt paragraphs that highlighted her experience as a young woman in the Solomon Islands. Her story is rooted in strength, culture, and hope. 

She began by sharing her family story and the influence it has had on shaping her life. “I have four siblings,” she said. “Ever since my father passed away, [our mother] has raised us all herself and works very hard so that we can have a good future. Growing up seeing how hard she supports us… it causes me to thrive toward my dream.” 

Dorcus describes her mother as one of her greatest inspirations, and that she is also driven by the thought of the many other Solomon Island people who work so hard earning money for their families. 

Her connection to her community is deeply personal and comes to life in the memory she treasures most. “One of my best memories is when the village elders hosted a Christmas celebration. We all shared a meal, watched cultural dances, and laughed together. It was beautiful.” She also spoke about the important role elders play in her life, and how they’ve helped her stay rooted in her heritage. “I learn a lot about my culture and the Melanesian people, and I am grateful to be one of the Melanesian women.” 

Dorcus’s vision for the future is crystal clear. She wants to build a stronger community where people lift each other up. “I want to make the world a better place for everyone,” she said. Her dream is to be an accountant, she explained, so that she can provide job opportunities for people and support her family. With a steady income, she hopes to take some of the weight off her mother and help her siblings through school. With her hard work and determination, I do not doubt that she will. 

The girls I met in the Solomon Islands are not just survivors, they are leaders, innovators, and dreamers. Dorcus and her peers are bright, brilliant, and remarkably resilient. 

I have no doubt they will change the world when given a chance. Yet, too often, their futures are determined by familial luck in a system often rigged against them. 

Trevor Noah once pointed out that while many say, “Give a man a fish, and he'll eat for a day. Teach a man to fish, and he'll eat for a lifetime,” they forget the most important part, “And it would be nice if you gave him a fishing rod.” 

The girls of the Solomon Islands already know how to fish. They know how to work, to learn, and to lead. What they need is our support: the fishing rods and the tools, the opportunities, to turn their potential into reality.

Story by - Aria Henderson 
Aria is currently interning with MWT as a junior at Bainbridge High School.

These MWT scholars from Auki Community High School are reclaiming lost opportunities. Among them is Dorcus Lui (second from left), now studying at the University of the South Pacific in Fiji—proof that targeted support can unleash a generation of Melanesian women leaders.

Aria and her mother, Deb Henderson, with MWT scholarship recipients during their 2024 visit to the Solomon Islands.