Everyday people PNG

I was at Bove, Central Bougainville, when a pastor came and took me in as his daughter in 1994.

He had to leave during the crisis and refusing to leave me behind, he sought my dad’s consent.

My dad, who was a primary school teacher, gave his approval so we left Bougainville in 1996 and came to Port Moresby.

After a month there, we spent another month in Lae, Morobe Province, before going up to the Highlands.

My adopted dad is from Jiwaka and Boana in Morobe Province.

In a brief history, the interest to create Holona Fishing Cooperative’s was one that started years ago with the building of a bush material house in Pak, however, over time the house began to rot and (it) fell.

We got into the fishing operation and sold our fish at the Manus fish market but unfortunately, the fish market here is not always consistent. The problem with our Fish market is one day it is open then another time its closed for almost 3 months’ so this poses as a difficult turn of events for those of us trying to get somewhere in the fisheries business.

At the end of 1995, I started doing Adult Matriculation Courses at Tabubil University Centre and successfully obtained my grade twelve transcript.  I then applied to PNGEI and did my Diploma in Education Primary-In-service and graduated. I did not stop there. I continued to pursue my first degree through UPNG Open College Program through flexible mode. Even though there are sponsorships program available within the Department I was not fortunate enough to be considered despite numerous applications submitted to the screening committee. This did not stop me. 

“I resigned from my comfortable job, successfully completed two years of study, and returned to PNG. Coming home, I was 40 percent worried and 60 percent excited to embark on a new career change.

“It was exciting, unsettling at times, but one of the best life-changing decisions I have ever made!

“I am currently learning new skills I always wished for. I am better equipped to contribute to community development projects.

I was born on 15^th March, 1970 to late Joseph Wulwarau and Rosa Nyapuak Teiwieu in a small hamlet called Analuei situated on the East Coast of Lemieng Catholic Mission in Aitape.

The hamlet is amongst other small hamlets that formed the Wal Tribe. It is located in between the Bismarck Sea front and the mouth of a small spinning river called ‘Wul-le’. That was where I lived and grew up during my childhood days.

She oversees the common premises budget, coordinating payments, property and communication needs of all duty stations across the country.

Cavanagh says she feels fortunate when requested to travel on mission and visit duty stations in the provinces. Being out in the field really puts things into perspective.

“It gives me a sense of appreciation and pride, to be working with an organisation like the United Nations, who is impacting, changing and improving people’s lives.”

I have been privileged enough to learn new skills that will allow me to support my family and myself. Prior to this Life Skills Training I had no skillset of any kind to help sustain me.

I am entirely grateful to the organisers of this initiative as it has boosted our moral and has educated us into knowing that we have potential that just required someone to unlock and teach us how to use.

Now with the newfound and taught skills, I am able to create things I can sell to earn an income and I will utilize this knowledge and skillset to teach others.

As the pastor to the church and member of the community, I am very grateful when the women of our community engage in programs that take them from their daily norms to learning skills that upgrade their lives for the better.

A recent program held in our village that saw 17 women and 3 young men participate in learning new skillsets has taken these individuals from being unskilled to skilled in a space of two weeks and their progress was evident in the things they created from the training.

I have knowledge of sewing and I am happy to show the women here how to do screen-printing, curtain sewing, and pillowcases. I see that the women here really enjoy making these. I take part in the training as a trainer and learning as well from the program.

I am very proud of sponsor NiuPower Ltd and those involved in this program. This is the first time that I have seen many women involved. I have observed that by learning new skills or going up another level from their basic training, they are affording themselves financial security and sustainability.

I live at Tete in Gerehu but I come to Boroko and do my marketing. 

The peanut I am selling comes all the way from Mt Hagen. I get my relatives up in Hagen to buy them from the locals there and transport it to Lae. From the Lae Port, the bags of peanut are then shipped down to NapaNapa, Port Moresby.
 
One stock feed sized bag roughly cost me about K300 when its peanut season. When its not peanut season, a bag cost about K380 - K480. 

Despite this, I earn at least K300 to K400 a week.