Partnership focuses on financial literacy

By PETER ESILA
THE Lukautim Graun Programme (LGP) and Centre for Excellence in Financial Inclusion (Cefi) will work together to roll out financial literacy training in six provinces in the country.
LGP, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (Usaid) and implemented by Cardno International Development is a five-year programme that works with the Government and NGOs to empower traditional landowners to directly manage and conserve the natural resources on which their livelihoods, wellbeing and social stability depend.
LGP is into its third year of existence.
LGP chief of party Maurice Knight said in Port Moresby yesterday that unless women and girls were empowered to fully participate in the economy, PNG would not be able to meet its development targets.
“And for women and men to be fully enabled in the economy, PNG’s biodiversity and natural resources must be wisely managed so that current generations can meet their needs while not threatening the ability of future generations to meet their needs, the linkages are obvious.”
Cefi executive director Saliya Ranasinghe said financial inclusion was identified as an important priority in the implementation of Cefi’s third inclusion strategy in which women and youth were prioritised under the digital financial services and financial literacy and financial education.
Usaid development specialist Julie Hulama said the agreement between Cardno and Cefi aligned with USAID’s 2020 Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Policy that affirmed the United State’s vision of a prosperous and peaceful world in which women, girls, men and boys enjoy equal economic, social, cultural, civil and political rights and were equally empowered to secure better lives for themselves, their families, communities and their countries.