BY SHOREYANN RAGOSO
At just 20 years old, Jannike Betrie Eke from Malaita Province, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu is proving that determination and hard work can open doors to the world.
Now based in the Solomon Islands, Eke has become one of the International Managers for the gospel reggae band Christafari, making her one of the youngest Solomon Islanders to serve in such a role internationally.
Her journey began in 2025 when she volunteered as a tour manager for the band. What started as voluntary work soon turned into a major career opportunity.
“I started as a volunteer touring with Christafari,” Eke said. “They had me as their tour manager, voluntarily of course, and then later they gave me the job of becoming one of the international managers working from Solomon Islands.”
Although her father is a singer and introduced her to the world of music, Eke said her success comes from overcoming personal struggles rather than following a musical career.
“I’m not really into the music industry, but because my dad is a singer I got influenced through him,” she explained.
Growing up was not always easy. Eke said she often faced bullying because of her disability, with many people telling her she would never achieve much in life.
“What inspired me is growing up, I got often bullied for my disability,” she said. “People keep telling me that I can’t make it far or I can’t do this, but this is me just proving to everyone and myself that I can do it.”
Today, she manages international logistics and coordinates with team members across several countries. The role requires careful planning and communication, especially because she works from the Solomon Islands while the band and her supervisors are based in the United States.
“It’s a huge responsibility,” Eke said. “Professionally, it’s going to take a lot of time and effort. Personally, it’s a huge milestone for me.”
She said managing different time zones is one of the biggest challenges.
“The hardest challenge is the time zone and communication and the capacity of logistics,” she said. “My bosses and the band I manage are in the U.S. and I’m in Solomon Islands, so we have to manage time carefully.”
Eke also works closely with fellow managers in Brazil using online communication platforms.
“All three of us and our boss are in a group, and the band members are included so we know what time and where to go for our next tours,” she said.
Alongside her management duties, Eke is also a university student. Her daily routine often starts before sunrise.
“We have training at 7 a.m., which is night time for Brazil,” she explained. “I get up every morning to check the schedule, join training with my boss, go to university, then check again later.”
One of her proudest achievements has been helping Christafari connect with Pacific audiences.
“I’m proud that Christafari can influence our young people through gospel reggae,” she said. “With my help and others, we managed to bring them to the Pacific, and not all international bands do that.”
Eke hopes her story will encourage other young Solomon Islanders to dream big.
“No matter where you come from, you can reach a global place,” she said. “If you dream it, you can manifest it, and then you become it. If I can do it, you can do it.”
Looking ahead, she wants to help create opportunities for young people in music, sports, and many other fields.
“Being on this journey will help create opportunities for young people back home,” Eke said. “I want to help open doors for others.”
