Widow’s Association sets up new office

 THE Papua New Guinea Widows’ Association, with help from Bank South Pacific, has set up a new office at North Waigani in the National Capital District to help widows.

Association administrator Jameson Mange told The National that the country had more than 200,000 widows who did not receive any help from the Government.

“Our association is the first to be set up and will become the mouthpiece to fight for their rights among other issues they have kept to themselves and have been dealing with silently,” he said.

“We can’t ignore them any longer because they are part of this country and they look after children and other properties left behind by their husbands.

“They are contributing to the development of this nation and we must find means and ways to help them.

“They need constant comfort and counselling.”

He highlighted the need to incorporate many of them into the association so that they can receive counselling, taught in financial literacy classes and given opportunities to become small business women by having bank accounts to support themselves and their families.

Mange said they had already identified widows from the three electorates in the National Capital District  and provided them counselling, taught them in financial literacy courses and presented them with certificates and passbooks.

“They are ready to do their own marketing, sewing, cooking or other things but need start-up capital,” he said. 

“Women in Moresby South are fortunate because their local MP Justin Tkatchenko has pledged to help them.”