Page 23 - GDG Annual Report 2019

Projects: PACIFIC Beneficiaries:
36,000

Strengthening Early Childhood Outcomes in the Pacific

In October 2018, J903N Caring for Kiriwina ran a week-long The health and wellbeing of mothers and babies 0-2 years
training program for 210 Village Birth Attendants (VBAs) on the is also a goal of project J739N Gateway Children’s Fund
remote island of Kiriwina, Papua New Guinea. The majority of Development Project PNG. The project aims to improve
these VBAs have received no formal midwifery training; rather, survival of mothers and babies, increase education and
they serve the women in their villages using the traditional wellbeing in children aged 2-12 years experiencing severe In Papua New Guinea, J986N Buk bilong Pikinini is establishing community-based Library Learning
experience and knowledge handed down to them. poverty, and build technical expertise and leadership skills
among the in-country team. Weekly mother and baby Centres supporting early childhood development and literacy programs.
The maternal and infant care training covered normal labour,
groups focus on health, hygiene and nutrition; amongst
warning signs, what to do in difficult births, as well as infant
this community no preventable deaths have been reported In September 2018, the project celebrated Literacy Week with a focus on women’s role in education and the importance of
and maternal postnatal care. To support the ongoing work of
recently. In 2018, a new school building was constructed providing equal access to education. A highlight of this week was the five-year-old girls marching on stage dressed as Wonder
the VBAs towards improving safety and hygiene of community
and fitted out; teacher workshops on positive behavioural Woman, and reading a book to the audience.
births, 1690 birthing kits and over 100 lanterns have been
management and early literacy strategies have contributed
supplied. It is reported that the live birth rate outcome on the Buk bilong Pikinini is also responsible for creating the book “I am Noah - This is my story”, published in 2018. The book is about
to excellent student learning outcomes in the past year. Such
island significantly improved, even after the first 1000 kits were Noah Agino, who became deaf at age four. Noah has gone on to complete his education and is now working as a Teacher
outcomes include reports of students who have graduated to
sent over a decade ago. Librarian at Buk bilong Pikinini’s Hohola Library.
upper primary school grades ranking highly amongst
their peers.

Image: Vanessa Kerton

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