Grants for community organisations

Ten community organisations from all around PNG were awarded grants of up to K50,000 each under Digicel Foundation’s Leadership for Change Community Grants Program.

Digicel Foundation, through its Community Grants Program, aims to create a network of organisations that are working on the front lines in their communities to address health, education, social inclusion, sustainable livelihoods and community safety.

“From the overwhelming number of applications we received, we know there is a real need to support local community organisations with funding. The Community Grants is part of our range of initiatives to support local leaders and organisations to address problems in their communities,” said Serena Sasingian, CEO of the Foundation.

“The whole screening process proved that many organisations were achieving great things with little to no support from funders,” she said.

Of the twelve finalists visited, ten successful applicants were awarded.

  1. Outreach International PNG (East Sepik Province)
  2. Living Light Health Services (National Capital District)
  3. Ola Fou PNG Inc. (National Capital District)
  4. Saua Development (Enga Province)
  5. Piku Biodiversity (Gulf Province)
  6. Gulf Christian Health Services (Gulf Province)
  7. Femili PNG (Eastern Highlands and Morobe Province)
  8. Haku Women’s Association (Autonomous Region of Bouganville)
  9. Community Service Consultancy (Milne Bay Province) and
  10. PNG Tribal Foundation (Jiwaka Province)

Of the inspiring work of these 10 outstanding organisations, three of them are bringing change to their communities by building safe-houses, working on funding literacy projects, youth empowerment, waste management, water, sanitation & hygiene and health.

Gellie Akui, representing successful grant recipient Community Service Consultancy, said: “This grant will greatly improve the effectiveness of the literacy program that is implemented in the Sololo Community, Milne Bay Province.”

Community Service Consultancy has been running literacy programs through a mix funding model and have had very successful results.

The Foundation’s Head of Programs, Diane Kambanei, said the recipient organisations are those who usually fall short of qualifying for support with other larger organisations.

This year’s Leadership for Change grants program is a pilot for Digicel Foundation and its success is vital for continuation or expansion of the program.

The vigilant selection and assessment process and visitations by the Foundation’s board members helps to ensure that it is doing all it can to build and foster the growth of communities through these partnerships.

(Students in a make shift classroom taking an adult literacy class conducted by the Community Services Consultancy in May of 2019)

Author: 
Press release