The mission’s Assistant Special Coordinator, Masi Lomaloma, said the film tells the story of people from the Pacific working with their Solomon Islands counterparts to rebuild the country.

“Changing Lives explores what the ‘R’ in RAMSI really means and at the same time asks Solomon Islanders: “How has your life changed since RAMSI came?”.

“The film presents a ‘snap shot’ of eight people working with RAMSI: on the beat as advisors to the Solomon Islands Police Force, out talking with the community, on patrol in villagers, or working with their Solomon Islands Government counterparts”, Mr Lomaloma explained.

Mr Lomaloma said the initial objective of the film was to capture the experience of different people from different countries working in the Solomon Islands with RAMSI - to find out what they are doing and what they have learnt from the experience of living and working in the Solomon Islands.

“The film helps to explain to people in Solomon Islands, but also in the Pacific region, what RAMSI is, what it does and the impact of the work of their citizens in three key areas in the Solomon Islands: law and justice, economic governance and machinery of government”, he said.

“What we have discovered in the process of making the film is that the experience of living and working in the Solomon Islands is changing the lives of both RAMSI personnel and the people they are working with”, he said.

“Building partnerships has always been a key focus of RAMSI in working together with Solomon Islanders. This film shows at a very personnel level how that is happening everyday on the streets, in government offices and in the provinces”, he said.

Mr Lomaloma said the film will be used for regional visits by RAMSI principals.
“It is important for people in the region to know and understand the contribution people from their countries are making to rebuild the Solomon Islands as well as building enduring relationships across the region”, he said.