USAID partners CEFI in providing financial literacy training of trainers in Jiwaka Province
News Highlights April 25, 2022
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the Lukautim Graun Program and its partnership with the Centre for Excellence in Financial Inclusion (CEFI) delivered financial literacy training to 20 participants from various women’s groups, conservation groups and staff of Jiwaka provincial administration.
The training was conducted under the USAID LGP ‘Women’s Empowerment Program’ and aims to produce a pool of financial literacy trainers to specifically to support rural and remote communities in six provinces in Papua New Guinea. These include Eastern Highlands, Jiwaka, Madang, Milne Bay, Morobe, and Simbu provinces. Newly graduated trainers will be able to deliver programs specially tailored to rural and remote villages on understanding and managing their household and livelihood finances.
The five-day financial literacy ‘training of trainers’ program ended on April 22, 2022 with the issue of certificates to the participants. Provincial Administrator for Jiwaka, Joe Karap, when presenting the certificates to the participants, thanked USAID for implementing this program in Jiwaka province.
“Jiwaka is a new province and it needs every support it can get from development partners. Thank you, USAID, for choosing my province to implement this program,” said Mr. Karap.
Each graduating trainer signed a letter of commitment agreeing to train at least 50 other Jiwaka individuals in financial literacy resulting in a total of 1000 individuals trained in basic financial literacy. In addition to being certified in basic financial literacy training, new graduates also received training on how to help those in rural and remote communities access to online banking services through their mobile phones and options to open bank accounts with MiBank after receiving training. In addition, those trained, including women’s groups, small-to-medium enterprises, faith based-based organizations, and community based conservation groups, can move ahead by choosing to register as banking agents for MiBank in their communities.
Participant Roselyn Issac from Aviamp village was excited to attend the training. “I’ve learned a lot in the last five days but one that stands out for me is how to train people to make family budgets and strictly spend within their budget. I will take this with me not only to teach others but to apply it in my own family!”. Thank you, USAID for this opportunity”.
Women leader, Eva Simp from Jiwaka Indigenous Business Women’s Group said “ The challenge for me is to impart what I have learned to my community. I am pleased that training manuals were provided. This will make it easier for me to impart what I have learned to my community”.
This training is part of the USAID’s commitment to provide financial literacy skills to over 1000 entrepreneurs, family business representatives, and women in Papua New Guinea so they can fully participate in the formal economy and access financial services like banking and small-scale village saving and loan schemes. USAID and its implementing partners continue to empower people in rural communities to access economic opportunities that improve their livelihood prospects which, in turn, reduces pressure on forest resources and helps protect Papua New Guinea’s rich biodiversity for future generations.
USAID’s Lukautim Graun Program is a five-year USAID funded program led by Cardno International Development in collaboration with Care International, The Nature Conservancy, the PNG Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program, Woodland Park Zoo, and the Wildlife Conservation Society.
