Zelai’s zeal for women’s farming

By LARRY ANDREW
NETWORKING in organising rural women to be involved in fresh food production is close to the heart of a woman from Bulolo District in Morobe.
Dorcas Zelai from Mumeng and Buang parentage was inspired to help womenfolk to be involved in agriculture when attending a mining forum at Madang’s Divine Word University in 2008.
At the forum Zelai met Papua New Guinea Women in Agriculture president Maria Linibi who did her presentation at the forum.
“When the PNGWiA mothers did their presentation during the forum, I was so interested but at that time I was working with Express Freight Management. After the forum I had a chat with Linibi and she gave details of how to join PNGWiA.
“Returning to Lae I registered with K300 with PNGWiA and operated as its branch in Mumeng Local Level Government where my father is from. I decided to work in the LLG to help mothers in the rural villages.”
Zelai’s aim is to help the women from the villages in the LLG because she has a heart for them. And she joined PNGWiA to extend its work into Mumeng so PNGWiA could work with women farmers as the place is known for its vegetables that are brought down and sold at the Lae market.
“Under PNGWiA I have learned a lot of things and attended trainings facilitated by Australian Aid (AusAid). Also through the Consultative Implementation and Monitoring Council (CIMC) I was invited to the Parliament to attend a mining meeting.
“I was also a participant in training with CIMC at the Madang Resort and Crown Plaza Hotel in Port Moresby for the mining forum. I also attended a trainer of trainers courses (TOT) run by AusAid and PNGWiA at the National Agricultural Research Institute.”
Zelai stated that looking back in the area of helping women, about 90 per cent of the time mothers are in their gardens back in the villages. And their gardens benefit whole families and at the same time earn little incomes to buy basic family needs.
“Most of us look at bigger things and do not look to our mothers. So my group is working with the mothers in the LLG and not outside. They struggle to meet their daily needs.
“And my job is to help the farmers when they need assistance to market their fresh garden produce – and network the mothers in the rural areas in the LLG where they can register to their districts.”
There is no funding from government or donor agencies but with a heart for the women Zelai used her savings from working with Express Freight Management and later Morobe Mining.
“These funds are used to assist the mothers in their travelling and accommodation. The Rural Women’s Fresh Produce (RWFP) group I started has no funding or assistance but I used my own savings because I had a heart to help mothers in the villages.”
Zelai is happy that in this year’s Lae Flower and Garden Show RWFP won an award.
“We came first in the vegetable and herbs category as there were only two organisations – us the Mumeng Women’s Fresh Produce and NARI participating.
“My aim is to look for corporate groups and business houses to buy fresh produce from my farmers. I have struggled from 2008 trying my best to display fresh produce from my farmers.
“Like I said, I do all things out of my own pocket to assist mothers in the rural area without support from any government organisation or donor agency. I try my best to seek funding but all donor agencies have requirements one must meet.
“So I’m doing my best to network mothers groups to partner with organisations government or overseas agencies recognise, like PNGWiA, NARI and Lae Flower and Garden Show.
“For the Lae Flower and Garden show here at Lae Botanical Garden it is the first time for my group to win an award and in our category which I am very happy about it. The organisers of the show took note of the fresh produce on display from mothers in the village.
“I will continue to encourage mothers to plant food and participate in all shows, either at NARI or the Lae Flower and Garden Show.”
Zelai is thankful to Maria Linibi for the introduction to innovative agriculture andCICM for the opportunities to travel and experience changes in the mining and agriculture industries.
She further thanked the Forest Research Institute and Friends of Lae Botanical Garden for the first ever show held there.