Rural communities in the Morobe Province are accessing basic services with the help of the BSP Financial Group (BSP).
The Banking has recently announced it will be opening another branch in Lae, bringing the total number of the branches in the province to six
BSP Group General Manager for Retail, Daniel Faunt said BSP’s expansion enables the bank to continue to strengthen its relationship with larger and remote communities in Morobe.
“Apart from delivering improved and innovative banking and payment solutions, we deliver community projects to improve the lives of those people we serve. The recent refurbishment of a Health Centre in Yambo village in Nawaeb District is part of the many projects we have delivered since 2009,” said Mr Faunt.
Villages from Yambo braved the rain last month to celebrate the handover of a refurbished health centre that serves over 2000 people from Yambo and nearby villages. The BSP Lae Top Town Branch delivered this community project.
The project, consisting of the refurbishment of the Yambo Health Centre and installation of a solar kit was valued at K30,000.
Tuyon Owingao, local woman representative said mothers have been suffering for too long during childbirth deliveries and other health-related issues and this service will make it easier for them now.
“Some of us who are midwives do our jobs with no proper medical gears, we normally rely on traditional medicines and knowledge to assist pregnant mothers. Today we are fortunate and thankful to BSP for giving us this aid post,” said Owingao.
A water supply project was also set up in Wampar Health Centre that serves Nadzab and surrounding areas. Water supply was connected to the facility, providing the health centre with the provision of a safe clean water to the clinic, the TB Ward, COVID-19 facility and the ablution blocks.
The BSP team also took a 4-hour boat ride from Lae to Finschhafen and drove an additional five hours to Wario village in the rural Kote LLG of Finschhafen District to provide Financial Literacy training sessions to Wamora Coffee Farmers Association members and others.
Some 300 villagers of Wario attended the Financial Literacy sessions and 240 new bank accounts were opened.
Wamora Coffee Farmers Association Director, Giegere Greg Hedziga, of Wario Village thanked BSP for bringing these services to them.
“Thank you BSP! Having a bank account is a service most of our people dreamed of accessing and you brought that right to our village. No other bank has set foot here, even a corporate business - our greatest thank you,” he said.
BSP General Manager Daniel Faunt said that with seven districts and an estimated population of close to one million people, Morobe Province remains one of the most challenging areas to cover with banking services.
“This is where BSP Agents come in to provide basic banking services. Our customers in rural Morobe can also access our 19 BSP Agents to do their banking,” he said.