Play for Equity in Action: Bringing Sport to Communities in Honiara

Play for Equity, supported by the Australian Government’s Team Up program with co-investment from the International Olympic Committee, is enabling inclusive, community-led sport initiatives across the Pacific, ensuring women, girls, and young people can access opportunities to be active, connect with others, and build confidence through sport.

In Burns Creek, a densely populated neighbourhood in Honiara where access to organised sport is often limited, Play for Equity funding is helping transform a small open space into a place of movement, connection, and belonging.

Through the third round of the Play for Equity Fund, local tennis professional and community leader Amanda Korinihona has been able to take Cardio Tennis directly into the community, covering racquets, balls, cones, a portable net, transport, water for participants, and community outreach and promotion. Rather than requiring people to travel to facilities that may be out of reach, the programme is designed to meet communities where they are.

Launched in October 2024, Cardio Tennis is a high-energy programme that blends tennis drills, movement exercises, and team challenges set to upbeat music. No prior experience is required, and participation is open to all.

“I wanted to see if people would be interested in trying out tennis even if they don’t want to become the next Serena Williams or Rafael Nadal,” Amanda explains. “I wanted to see Solomon Islanders come together to exercise, destress, have fun, and connect with others.”

Earlier this year, with Play for Equity support, Cardio Tennis was delivered in Burns Creek over a two-and-a-half-hour community session. Thirty-eight participants aged 3 to 17 took part, drawn from five provinces across the Solomon Islands—Malaita, Western, Isabel, Makira, and Guadalcanal. Participants competed individually, in pairs, and in teams, cheering on one another as parents, aunts, uncles, and grandparents watched from the edges of the space.

“The atmosphere was incredibly filled with happiness,” Amanda said. “Even with the small space, we managed all the kids and made sure no one felt left out.”

One of the most notable outcomes was gender participation. Girls and boys attended in near-equal numbers, including participants aged 12 to 15—an age group that often disengages from sport.

“Usually, girls and boys that age shy away because of self-doubt or fear of being laughed at,” Amanda said. “This did not happen. Everyone came and did all the activities together.”

Community sports coordinator and board member Simon Mani, who helped facilitate the event’s reception in Burns Creek, described the response as immediate.

“When people in the community heard this event was going to happen, they were so happy,” he said. “They want to be involved in events like this. They just need someone to care enough to come here and run them. Healthy activities engage young people and help keep them from going down a dangerous path.”

 “All people from different backgrounds, different provinces, different social status, different schools, different churches are able to come together and participate. Sporting events, when done right, can unite people. That is what happened.” - Amanda Korinihona

Cardio Tennis was also extended to a range of community groups across Honiara, including members of the Rotaract Club of Honiara, predominantly aged 16 to 25, church youth groups, and working adults. Opportunities were provided for participants to stay active after work, strengthen connections with colleagues, and spend quality time exercising with their children.

For Play for Equity, initiatives like Cardio Tennis demonstrate the value of locally led solutions, where community leaders identify needs, design inclusive activities, and deliver sport in ways that are culturally relevant and accessible.

Play for Equity is a small grants initiative supported by the Australian Government’s Team Up Program and the International Olympic Committee’s Olympism365 strategy. It focuses on community-led projects advancing disability inclusion and gender justice through sport across Pacific Island countries, in line with the Oceania Impact Network.