Plantation workers learn to save money

MORE than 500 labourers at the WR Carpenters tea and coffee estate in Jiwaka have opened bank accounts with Bank South Pacific.
The workers at Bunum Wo in North Waghi district through their PNG Agricultural Sector Labourers Association invited BSP officers to bring the rural banking programme to them.
They paid K10 to open their accounts. Children were also helped to open their accounts in the Kids Account and Sumatin Account for K2.
The plantation workers formed the association and arranged to open bank accounts where they could save their money.
They are now happy that they do not have to spend all their fortnightly wages at once but save some for their children’s school fees and family needs.
Association president Gugl Peter Sylvester said it was formed on July 19, 2016, to help plantation workers sustain their lives.
It already has 300 registered members.
“I am the son of a plantation worker from Chimbu,” Sylvester said.
“I was born and raised here. My father lived here at Bunum Wo for the last 50 years.
“I used to work for the company when I was a little boy until i started school.
“Dig drains, pick coffee and tea, sprayed and pruned to pay for my school fees and meet other needs.
“Like my father, there were others who came from other parts of the country to work here in the plantation.
“They have worked hard to build some of the places that we see today.
“Plantations have become our home and for our children too.
“The problem is that our parents and young people do not know about the culture of savings.
“We were paid wages in cash during our fortnights.
“We usually spend all our money and then suffer the next two weeks.
“That is why we formed this association as an avenue of hope.
“We want to encourage everyone to get into the habit of saving for the future.
“We want our children to go to school and have a better life.”