Pasifika On Air (POA) is a funding programme for Pacific broadcasters to create and tell their own stories. Funded by Pacific Cooperation Broadcasting Limited (PCBL), it is the first initiative of its kind, empowering Pasifika broadcasters to share local stories on a global stage. Working closely with Sunpix, broadcasters across the Pacific wrote, rewrote, shot, and edited a series of stories to share with the world.
Telekom Television (TTV), a broadcaster in the Solomon Islands, was selected for the Pasifika On Air programme to produce a documentary series following the impact of Covid-19 in the Solomon Islands. Pictured above are the team for making the series.
The series, titled We Live in Hope, starts with a recollection of events before the pandemic reached the shores of the Solomon Islands. From there it details the arrival, resilience to and aftermath of Covid-19. The series starts with government response then shifts to healthcare and beyond, finishing with the impact on local businesses.
Central to the series is the team who made it, who wanted to showcase the human element of the Solomon Island’s response to the pandemic.
When creating the story to be told, Executive Producer Fredrick Osifelo said, “it was a no brainer!’
“I believe our story is of great importance not only for us in the Solomon Islands but also for the region at large – an account of such time in our country’s history” said Osifelo.
Creating a story of this kind is a first for Osifelo. “We are the first team to have attempted to try and put such a story together” he said.
As with any production, the documentary had its challenges, but Osifelo is grateful for the opportunity. “It’s been such a great experience” says Osifelo “I speak for all of us involved.”
The impact of creating the documentary goes beyond the ability to tell the story. The team’s involvement in Pasifika On Air has “brought about a renewed sense of appreciation for the passion we all share” says Osifelo “all of us now appreciate the reasons why we often carry the camera.”
We Live in Hope is now airing across the Pacific on PasifikaTV.
