Junina and Melwyn arrived in Australia from the Solomon Islands in 2025, ready to start their first year in the PALM scheme with RWM, working for one of our leading meat processing clients in central New South Wales. What they didn't expect was that within weeks they'd be back on a hockey field and within a year they'd be on a plane to New Zealand representing their country.

Both came to Australia hoping to ease the load back home. Junina, the first born in his family, watched his dad struggle to cover school costs for his younger siblings.

"I applied for the scheme and accepted the opportunity," he said. "My main reason was to come here and support my dad, especially financially. It's taken a lot of pressure off him."

Melwyn's story carries a similar weight. Raised by a single mother, he's the eldest of four, with three younger siblings still in school.

"I plan to come away to watch some of our future plans and goals and also to support my mum," he said. "Paying off my little siblings with their school fees."

Junina and Melwyn now work side by side, Junina on the slicer and Melwyn in the boning room.

Finding hockey through their church

Settling into a new country and new work was made easier by something familiar. Both had played hockey back home and it only took a few weeks in Australia before they found their way back onto a team, after meeting fellow players through their local church.

"The people there asked us if we played soccer or hockey, so we said we play hockey," Melwyn said. "That's how we got into it."

For Junina, the team became part of what made Wodonga feel like home.

"Because we're all new, you don't know what to do," he said. "The support you get here through RWM is really helpful, we're really settling in here."

The call to play for the Solomon Islands

Melwyn's hockey background went back further than most. He'd played for the provisional Solomon Islands squad eight years earlier and when the federation found out two of their former players were now in Australia, they came calling.

"Some of the other players back home couldn't afford to go," Melwyn said. "They asked if we could pay our own fares and come over to the team. We were so excited."

Junina and Melwyn put in for annual leave, feeling reassured that RWM and their host employer would support them.

"When we found out RWM and our host employer were behind us, it meant everything," Junina said. "I was told they're really excited for us to go and play. "

Fourth out of six against a higher level of hockey

The hockey tournament ran over three days, with the pair arriving early to train with the rest of the Solomon Islands Masters squad before competing against six teams, including Fiji. The step up from the five aside hockey they grew up playing to full 11 aside was a shock.

"It's a big jump from five to 11," Melwyn said. Through their dedication and hard training, the team finished fourth."We saw the first game and it was like, wow," he said. "High level hockey.  It was high level hockey. I felt a lot better about it after seeing that, which was good."For both, the trip meant more than the result.

"It's both of us, the first time to go over to New Zealand," Junina said. "Making new friends, it's exciting."

Family pride and looking ahead

Photos from the tournament made their way home, where their families saw them representing the Solomon Islands on an international stage.

"They were proud," Junina said. "Representing how Solomon is, it's something everyone wants to see their child doing. They were really happy."

With the annual 2027 Easter tournament already on their minds, the pair are back training, hoping to build on what they started. "We have to work hard to go back there," Junina said.

Junina and Melwyn's advice for other PALM scheme employees is to get involved in sport, church and whatever communities make them feel supported and settled.
 
"It's really good for you mentally," Junina said. "Sometimes when you come over here, far from family, you get homesick. You get comfort and help from everywhere while you’re here through RWM."

RWM supported Junina and Melwyn's leave request so they could take the trip and is proud to see them carrying their hockey, their faith and their community spirit from Wodonga all the way to an international field.