Training helped Donny change approach to people

AN Australia Awards Papua New Guinea graduate says that studying abroad has changed his perspective of working in a multi-cultural environment.
Donny Kupamu, who graduated with a master of education in leadership and management at the Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane through the Australia Awards in 2016, said he was grateful for the opportunity to study abroad.
“The scholarship enabled me to learn from different people around the globe and it fully changed my perspectives of working in a multi-cultural environment,” he said.
“It gave me confidence in discussing work as well as speaking to people from diverse backgrounds.
“The studies enabled me to align my projects to Government of PNG development goals in terms of interpreting policies and plans and changing them into activities that contribute to development and service delivery.
“I believe that without the opportunity of studying abroad, I wouldn’t have realised the significance of being a change agent myself and ensuring the work I do benefits people in the community.
“There is a broader perspective that I have developed.
“I can really see the need for services to be delivered to communities and their people.
“Before the studies, my thinking was always around myself without really understanding how I could be impacting others.
“In the community, I live and work in, people can see the difference in the way I live and do things and how I respect others and the community values me.”
Since returning to PNG, Kupamu contributed to a wide range of development projects in health and education as well as responses in natural disaster national emergencies such as volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.