Australian Awards

“However, getting into nursing college was an opportunity and I am glad I chose nursing,” says Yolanda Som, Australia Awards PNG alumna.

Yolanda and more than 40 Papua New Guineans have been supported by Newcrest Mining Limited through the Australia Awards In-PNG Scholarships to study nursing and midwifery since 2017.

Yolanda, now 23 years old, says she has a long way to go and a lot of goals to complete, but one day she hopes to reach the top and become an expert in the medical area.

Australia Awards Scholars Cherolyn Polomon, Winnifred Duk and Mary Rose Bagita-Vangana are the PNG recipients.

At the recent award ceremony, Australian High Commission Minister Counsellor Paul Lehmann said: “I’m sure these winners will continue the proud tradition of the 28 Allison Sudradjat Prize winners from PNG who have come before them by making their own lasting contributions to their country’s development and to the #PNGAusPartnership.”

Australian Awards is piloting a new Australia Awards short course that aims to help build the capacity of women to trade.

The ‘Australia Awards: Women Trading Globally’ course is offered to Pacific women with their own business who have the potential to become ‘export ready’. 

It will cover international trade and how one might be able to embark on the pathway of growing their business into new international markets.