Looking forward and looking back

People say the car windscreen is bigger than the rear-view mirror because where we are going matters more than where we have been. But we still need the mirror, to remind us of our journey and what may be coming behind us.

Even though I am the founder of this 21-year-old company, and lived in Solomon Islands for 11 years, I no longer stay in the country full-time. I now visit 3–4 times a year and stay connected with the team through regular communication. On my last visit in November 2025, I took time to look back honestly at KPSI, what we have done well, what we could improve, and the impact we have made. My hope was that my “rear-view” lessons can help guide the leadership as they continue forward.

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Looking Back: Three High Points

1. The vision. KPSI is still guided by the same goal we started with improving village livelihoods. After all these years, our purpose is unchanged and as relevant as ever.

2. The people. Board members, staff, rural producers, and village communities, we have travelled together. They support the work, and we support them.

3. The impact. More than SBD 50 million has gone to village producers over the years. This has helped families, changed lives, and opened many opportunities.

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Looking Back: Three Low Points

1. Many coconut oil units in villages are not operating. These unused machines feel like wasted opportunities for income and advancement.

2. Some still see KPSI as a foreign business. Yes, some directors are expatriates, but almost half are local, and all serve as unpaid volunteers who believe in the vision.

3. Many rural communities we work in still lack basic services. This comes from mixed causes, government challenges and also community-level issues like disagreements and weak leadership. It still makes me sad to see.

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Looking Forward

A new generation is now leading and working with KPSI. Many young villagers have only ever known KPSI as part of community life. The new managers and leaders are the age of my own children. They bring fresh ideas and new energy, and I want to make space for them to guide the future.

We also need to engage more intentionally with all parts of village life, social, cultural, spiritual, and economic. For many years we focused mainly on economic exchange, but village life is more complex. These other factors shape how people work and make decisions. If we understand them better, we can unlock more potential in communities.

Looking ahead, in-country manufacturing and value-adding still seems to be the best way to bring vital income to rural areas and support national development. Cocoa and coconuts will continue to be our focus, as they are still the most important cash crops across the country.

The journey will not always be easy, but after more than 20 years, I believe KPSI has the people, systems, products, and markets to continue making a strong, locally led impact.

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Colin Dyer

Founder & Board Member

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