SPBD Solomon Islands honors women entrepreneurs at its first Businesswomen of the Year Awards in Honiara.
A groundbreaking milestone was achieved on the morning of Friday 27th June 2025, as SPBD Solomon Islands successfully hosted its first-ever Businesswomen of the Year Awards at St. Barnabas Cathedral Hall in Honiara.
Organized by South Pacific Business Development (SPBD) Solomon Islands, the event celebrated SPBD members who have successfully built and grown micro-enterprises with the support of SPBD’s training, credit, and guidance. The Businesswomen of the Year Awards recognizes excellence in entrepreneurship, leadership, and financial responsibility among women from across the country who are working to lift their families out of poverty through sustainable small businesses.
The historic ceremony was attended by a distinguished gathering of government heads, members of the diplomatic corps, corporate sponsors, business partners, and an enthusiastic audience of over 400 SPBD members. The morning was filled with pride, emotion, and inspiration, as the spotlight shone brightly on the strength and success of women across the Solomon Islands.
The winner of the first ever SPBD Solomon Islands Businesswoman of the Year award was Mrs. Anna Poline, a 58-year-old mother of six from the Tuvaruhu-J1 Centre, who joined SPBD in 2018. With her first loan of SBD $4,000 (approx. USD $500), Anna launched a small canteen business. As her confidence and experience grew, so did her ventures, first a bus, then a taxi, and eventually, rental properties. Today, Anna proudly owns three rental houses, and her business journey is a testament to what financial access, training, and belief can achieve.
The full list of the outstanding 2025 SPBD Businesswomen of the Year Award Winners are:
- Most Outstanding Businesswoman of the year: Mrs. Anna Poline, of the Tuvariuhu-J1 Centre
- Most Outstanding Centre of the year: Green Valley-E1 Centre
- Best Centre Chief of the year: Mrs. Lorrettalyn Apuli, of the Kapa’au Centre
- Best Centre Secretary of the year: Mrs. Rachel Memea, of the Kapa’au Centre
- Best Individual Saver of the year: Mrs. Andy James, of the Vaezulu-H1 Centre
- Best New Centre of the year: Kapa’au Centre
Runners-up were also honored in each category for their impressive contributions and growth, further showcasing the vibrant entrepreneurial spirit among SPBD members.
The vision for this event came from the Founder and CEO of the SPBD Microfinance Network, Mr. Gregory Casagrande, whose initiative brought this empowering platform to the Solomon Islands for the very first time.
Greg shared, “It is an immense pleasure to look out at the crowd of determined, SPBD-backed women micro-entrepreneurs. At SPBD, our mission is to empower women to grow income-generating businesses, uplift their families, and build lives of dignity. Today, we honor their achievements, dreams, and tenacity. Dream big, be bold, and keep moving forward, because success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out”, said Greg.
The event was further elevated by the presence of Governor Dr. Luke Forau, who served as chief guest and delivered the keynote address that inspired many. Governor Forau emphasized the essential role of women in national development and called for broader support:
Governor Dr. Luke Forau said, “Women entrepreneurs play a vital role in building an inclusive and sustainable economy. I strongly encourage both domestic and international organizations to step up and provide the financial support needed to help our women grow their businesses and contribute more meaningfully to our economy.”
SPBD Solomon Islands General Manager Raymond McCarthy reflected on the deep significance of the moment:
Raymond McCarthy said, “What we witnessed this morning is the heart of SPBD’s mission, to uplift and empower women through access to finance, training, and recognition. These women are not just entrepreneurs; they are leaders and role models. We’re proud to be the enabler of their journey towards a better future for themselves and their families.”
The successful execution of the event was made possible by the dedication of the hardworking SPBD team behind the scenes, whose commitment ensured every detail was handled with care and excellence.
Organizers concluded the event with a hopeful message for the future:
“This is only the beginning. We will continue to grow this platform, empower more women, and celebrate their successes across the Solomon Islands. The best is yet to come.”
About SPBD Microfinance Network
Founded in 2000, SPBD’s mission is to improve the quality of life of underprivileged families by providing them with meaningful economic opportunities to help lift them permanently out of poverty. SPBD is especially focused on empowering women to start, grow and maintain micro-businesses through the provision of access to financial and business development services as well as the opportunity to build assets, improve financial security and finance housing improvements and education.
SPBD’s vision is to create a network of financially self-sufficient and scalable micro-enterprise development organizations throughout the South Pacific and today operations in Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, and Vanuatu in addition to the Solomon Islands.
SOURCE: SPBD Microfinance (Solomon Islands) PRESS RELEASE
