New Zealand supports YWCA

The YWCA (Young Women Christian Association) Port Moresby Branch has much reason to celebrate this week, thanks to the New Zealand Government coming to their assistance with K47, 914 under the New Zealand international aid and development programme Small Projects Scheme.

The executive director of YWCA Ms Okera Amini expressed her delight at the funding this week.

She thanked the New Zealand High Commission for the financial support and commended New Zealand for its ongoing contribution to the social and economic well being of disadvantaged groups in PNG.

Ms Amini said that the YWCA was one of the oldest NGOs established in PNG, and had been providing important services in the areas of adult literacy and other livelihood skills on a non profit basis, targeting disadvantaged mothers and men in the settlement areas of Port Moresby.

Ms Amini noted that the NZAID funds would be used to renovate three training rooms which have been in a rundown state since the 1990s.

This is a major renovation exercise for YWCA.

 The end result should provide a good learning environment for the training programmes, as well as boost the capacity of the management to network with other partners to address the issue of illiteracy in Port Moresby.

She said that literacy was an important development issue in PNG.

Without being able to read and write, people find it difficult to contribute meaningfully to the development of the country.

YWCA Port Moresby hopes to empower the participants in a small way to make a difference in their own families and communities.