PNGWiB trains rural women of Morobe in micro business

 by JEROME IKUAVI

WOMEN in rural areas of Morobe are being trained to go into micro-business by the PNG Women in Business (PNGWiB).

The PNGWiB conducted a weeklong training for 160 women at Hobu in the Nawaeb district.

The participants received their certificates from Morobe Governor Luther Wenge, who ventured to give K500,000 to PNGWiB to continue the work “after he had settled” tuition fees for Morobe students attending universities and colleges”.

Local women were joined by others from Wau, Bulolo, Mumeng and Lae.

This is the second training conducted by PNGWiB.The first training conducted in Port Moresby had 35 participants. 

With the theme “Sapotim meri kamapim bisnis (support women to start businesses)” the aim is to reduce the gap between the literate and illiterate, and employed and unemployed women.

PNGWiB national president Janet Sape said that the organisation was giving rural women the basic knowledge of business so that they could run their own businesses.

She also said that they were “still waiting for the department of finance to release the K10 million that should have been given to fund the microfinance business”.

“Three important issues that the PNGWiB is looking into currently are micro-financing, promotion and marketing and training,” Sape said.

She said PNGWiB aims to raise K10 million to start a women’s micro-bank. 

More than 1,100 women have contributed K500 each in the past three years. She would need 20,000 women to do the same for her to reach her  target.