More than 300 women register on programme

MORE than 300 women in Lae have been registered on a programme organised by the city authority, Australian consulate and Westpac to be involved in projects.
Authority chief executive officer Neil Ellery said out of the 500 applications received, 305 women qualified and were put on the Hand-up programme database.
“We are targeting women and will assist vulnerable ones first,” he said.
The secretariat is run by the Australian consulate.
The first is the roundabout project, involving the beautification of the roundabouts in the city, followed by the Eriku Niell reserve oval sporting facilities beautification project.
The woman will paint the basketball courts, toilets and volleyball courts.
Westpac gave K10,000 to help facilitate and set up new bank accounts for the women.
“To date about 80 bank accounts had been opened,” Ellery said.
Ellery said opening a bank account was difficult as people needed identification cards.