The women of Namatanai District have praised the "Walter Farming Association" for making market easily available to sell their produce.
Perpetual Tagor of the Namatanai Local Level Government said women no longer have to sit long hours at the market place to sell their garden produce.
“Mothers have taken a keen interest in gardening and are working hard to sell their garden food and nowadays mothers have money in their pockets. They also have bank cards and can use EFTPoS machine unlike before,” she added.
Namatanai District Development Authority Administrator, Neville Tomon said since the initiative started in 2019, women have been empowered economically.
“In an agreement with Lihir Newcrest Limited, the Namatanai DDA throught its business arm, Namatanai Advancement Limited pays garden produce from our mothers and we sell to Newcrest."
In the three years of operation, it has had an input of K19million annually.
Mothers from all four LLG's, Sentral-Niu Alian, Namatanai, Matalai and Konoagil travel to and from the small town of Namatanai everyday to sell their market produce.