DOS MARTELLS I UN SOSTRE (Two Hammers and a Roof)

In early December, Judith and two of her sons, David and Tearsman, renovated the roof of their kitchen using fresh sago palm fronds. The kitchen serves as the family’s gathering place, where embers are kept burning—whether for cooking or for warmth—during the days (sometimes weeks) of heavy rain that characterize the cyclone season in the Solomon Islands. This year, they were able to complete the work in a single morning, thanks to the claw hammers and new nails—along with other tools and construction materials—that we provided to the Fatakalua-Fote community on the island of Malaita. The claw hammer features a specialized end designed for removing nails, allowing them to be reused for future roof renovations.