Australia continues to improve lives of Papua New Guineans

FM100 Talkback host Roger Hau'ofa and SPSN’s Capacity Building Adviser Martin Brash during the Radio TalkBack Show on Sept 10, 2014.

Australia through Strongim Pipol Strongim Nesen (SPSN) has provided K13million to support 201 small community initiative and K14.4m to implement eleven medium and 30 large grants in health, education, law and justice, gender equality, disability and civic awareness across PNG.The small grants range from (PGK5,000–80,000), medium (PGK81,000–160,000) and large (PGK161,000–500,000) grant funding to non-state and state actors (LLGs) to address service delivery and community development needs. Small grants, and to a lesser extent large and medium grants, are implemented with involvement of GoPNG sub-national administrations.

Speaking at the FM100’s Radio TalkBack Show on Sept 10, 2014, SPSN’s Capacity Building Adviser Martin Brash said; “Australia has greatly supported PNG to address issues in health (particularly maternal and child health); education (particularly basic education and non-formal adult education); HIV/AIDS; gender equality (including violence against women and women’s economic empowerment); and disability and social inclusion.

Mr Brash said, the partnership between the people and the governments of PNG and Australia has seen significant improvements in people’s lives.

These have also resulted in increased numbers of CSOs successfully demanding further services from GoPNG beyond the grant (e.g. new roads, school buildings, etc.) and significant health, education, income generation, child protection and disability services outcomes.

For example; there are now 1,314 women and 889 men now engaged in income-generation activities.

·      Over 10,000 women and men received awareness on family and sexual violence

·      More than 90 women survivors of violence, and 16 vulnerable female children, received improved services such as counselling and accessing refuge centres.

·      Eighty four (84) wards now demanding improved services from governments and 62 female Ward Development Committees in Morobe Province have formed a support network.

·      Peace unification ceremonies reconciling communities in Bougainville (Panguna Peace Building

·      A comprehensive National disability Policy Review has been completed

·      27,000 assistive devices have been distributed through the disability network at district levels

·      More than 200 people now have the skills to fit assistive devices appropriately.

·      CIMC efforts influence GoPNG commitment to open six rural airstrips.

·      Several communities mobilised to identify and report corruption (TIPNG and CIMC).

·      Significant improvements in quality of teaching, and 500 children transition from BbP libraries into formal education.

·      More than 266 adults and 30 children have gained greater independence through receipt of a wheelchair

 Strongim Pipol Strongim Nesen (SPSN) is a five year AUD104 million program working to enable civil society, private sector and government to work together in partnership to better meet the needs of communities across PNG.