Helen Manase is from Manus, and is married to a man from Central and Milne Bay. They both live in Port Moresby with their four children.
She and her two daughters had attended the 4-week City Mission Business training together, in the month July.
Helen shares her experience.
“This course is one of a kind and it’s the best, I can say. I left school a long time ago and I had been taking care of my children and just staying in the house and I thought that was all there is to life. But after attending this training I am inspired and it made me realize that some things which I thought I couldn’t do in the past, I could do. It helped me to start again.
“I used to do some marketing but along the way I stopped. This training has built my confidence again to start my market again. I know now that I can look after my money from the sales. I learnt how to identify the good and bad sides of market especially in managing the money. Many times we bring in money but we let it slip out of our hands and we have to start all over again to find the money.
“This training has changed our mindsets and at the same time it built us up. Many of us stayed at home and we think we know it all but attending this training with this trainer, Pastor Joe, he didn’t just train us, he also taught us the Word of God so it balanced our lives both spiritually and physically.
“I came and attended the training for a week and then Pastor Joe said if there are other people in the communities who would like to attend the training bring them along. So I brought my girls along.
“I told them this is to prepare them for life whether they will find a job or have their own family, they will have the skills to care for their finances and life.
“My heartfelt thanks to Puma Energy and Switzerland Academy for Development and the City Mission for being the facilitator.
“I want this training to go to the women in remote rural places as well. There are hardworking mothers there as well doing their gardening and selling their goods at the markets to cater for their household and school fees for their children. They also need to learn about this.”