Australia Awards PNG

“My village is located in a remote area where most of my relatives lost their lives along the way when seeking medical assistance,” she shared.

Carolyn recalls seeing patients in line at the hospital for two or three hours before being attended to when she visited in her high school years. This inspired her to become a nurse, believing she could help to shorten the queues and provide health care to rural areas in need.

Carolyn graduated from Lae School of Nursing in 2021 and has been working in the surgical section at the Lorengau General Hospital since February 2022.

After completing a Bachelor of Veterinary Science at Charles Sturt University through Australia Awards PNG, she has achieved this dream, becoming the first Papua New Guinean woman to graduate and work as a vet in PNG!

From Madang and Gulf provinces, and now mother to two young children, Areori is the regional veterinary officer for the National Agriculture Quarantine and Inspection Authority (NAQIA).

Her work often takes her away to remote parts of PNG, away from her family.

The lecturer for arts and design at the University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG) then created a website and blog to share tutorials and articles.

Following his qualification, he became the strand leader for creative arts at the university.

Dr Yalamu had taught over 500 undergraduate students.

The 40-year-old is a husband and father of four sons and comes from Bukawa Village in Morobe, and Umun Village in Madang.

He grew up in Madang where he did his primary and secondary education.

Dago has never regretted her decision, saying, “Thank God I did because it is a really nice program. It is a big privilege to be under Australia Awards sponsorship.”

Her experiences stretched her beyond her comfort zone and taught her to be resilient and strong. Having no prior work experience and graduating from an all-girls high school, the predominantly male environment was new.

Jeanne Tareasi said the Australia Awards scholarships are very fitting “as they are aimed at the development needs of PNG”.

“You will be supported every step of the way by the Australia Awards team and university international student support team, and you graduate with more than just a degree,” stated Tareasi.

“You get to experience the culture and way of life in Australia as well, which is very different to PNG.”

They were recognised for the critical role they play in improving neonatal and maternal healthcare in PNG.

PNG has one of the highest maternal mortality ratios in the Asia Pacific region with an estimated 733 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births.

The Australian government, in partnership with the Government of PNG, has been supporting the development of PNG’s midwifery human resources through scholarships for midwives and supporting capacity building for health training institutions that provide midwifery training.