Everyday people PNG

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. 

I am married with seven children and my family are currently living back at home in the village.
 
I started buying and selling Tobacco (Brus) in 2004. And through this, I am able to support my family with food, clothing, school fee and other needs. With the little income I get from selling Tobacco (Brus), I am able to rent me a nice place here in Port Moresby just so I can stay here and continue with my marketing. 

After Completing grade 10 at Mt Diamond Secondary back in 2013, 
I was unable to continue my education because of School Fee funding so my mum had asked me to help her sell fruits & vegetables here in Boroko Market to make ends meet. 

We sell Coconuts, Ripe Banana, Pineapple and Avocado. Being a market vendor has helped my family & I alot over the years. 

In a week, we make between about K400 to K500 in total. What we earn helps us out with rent, school fee, hospital and even food on a daily basis. 

I joined the Miss Scuba PNG in 2018 and was selected in 2019 to represent PNG among 27 other countries in Malaysia. Modelling was an ongoing thing for me apart from my full time Job; doing runways in the National Capital District. I auditioned for the callout and was selected for a National Pageant and into the Selections for the Pageant in Malaysia.

She commenced her Master of Public Health at the University of Melbourne in 2020, specialising in gender, health and society.

Ephraim is passionate about addressing and preventing gender-based violence in Papua New Guinea. Having worked with the Family Support Centre at the Port Moresby General Hospital since 2015, she has seen many cases of gender-based violence.

She believes Papua New Guinea is suffering from a public health crisis and is dedicated to finding solutions.

With the help of my three sisters, we started frying and selling Lamb Flaps back in 2010. Our Lamb Flaps market is located along VaiVai Avenue, right at the entrance of Hunu Place in Boroko, National Capital District. 
 
Apart from cooking and selling Lamb flaps, we also fry sausages and bananas as well as selling canned drinks with Buai and cigarettes. The little income we get at the end of the week goes to cater for the children’s school fees as well as other expenses that we need to meet. 
 

I’m a trainee ranger at the Conflict Islands Conservation Initiative (CICI) in Milne Bay Province.

I help marine turtles to nest here on the Conflict Islands.

The whole experience – from start to finish – is incredible. I have learnt how to handle turtles, how to tell different species apart and a turtle’s lifecycle.

I enjoy taking guests on the journey, answering all their questions and educating them on the importance of looking after turtles.

I grew up in Port Moresby and have been a teacher for over 20 years in the English & Literature Department at Port Moresby International School (POMIS).
 
I attended Gerehu Community School in 1978 then continued to Gerehu High School. 
 
At the end of Grade 10, I proceeded to Sogeri National High School to do my Grade 11 and 12. After year 12, I got selected to attend UPNG in the Education Faculty, majoring in English / Literature and minoring in History.