Overcoming PNG poverty
Breaking the cycle of inter-generational poverty in rural Papua New Guinea
Through integrated education, comprehensive primary health care, and sustainable livelihood projects
Aims
SoilChild aims to provide ordinary people with the opportunity they need to escape poverty and lead flourishing lives that make best use of their local knowledge and resources.
It is underpinned by the values of equity and sustainability.
Poverty in PNG.
In rural PNG, chronic inter-generational poverty is associated with systemic disadvantage, where people are suppressed from accessing basic education, health and economic opportunities. As a result, people live in desperate situations with poor health and education outcomes, limited resources and poor living conditions, with no income and employment. In this context, the land is the only asset people have as a source of economic and social capital.
Poverty is defined here as a condition of systemic disadvantage depriving ordinary individuals to thrive and progress in life by depriving them off their right to voice, participation, opportunities and services. And this form of poverty is distributed unequally, where some members of society are more affected compared to others because of their social status, gender, age, or place where they live.
Why "SoilChild"?
People in PNG have a special connection with the land and its resources, where life is viewed as it begins in the soil, which in itself is a story of hope.
The child in the metaphor signifies new life.
This new life is born on the land, cultivates the land to sustain life, and then returns to the earth upon death. This human to land inter-connectedness is a local source of knowledge and theory that shapes their cultural and social identity.
So, SoilChild is about cultivating this local knowledge and connecting to external resources, so people can take ownership and work towards escaping the inter-generational poverty, and achieve a sustainable and locally sound economic prosperity.
The name SoilChild is a brand, philosophy, dream, vision, story and program.
The SoilChild Model
SoilChild is an alternative development model creating space for learning, un-learning and re-learning customs, stories, values, and beliefs. Rich local knowledge taken for granted is the basis of all our projects, allowing ordinary people to take ownership of opportunities to dream and work towards flourishing lives and escape poverty in rural communities and urban settlements of PNG.
Our development model is different to traditional approaches. Rather than exhausting our very scarce resources to advocate for a transparent and accountable institutional system, we value local resources which are often taken for granted. We work with individuals to map out their local resources, such as the land, natural environment, the social bonds and their personal agency. We support them to use these potentials to vision a future with determination and courage, and set tangible goals and strategies to achieve those goals.
Our development model uses the following three programs:
Programs
1. Integrated Basic Education (IBE)
We have built a model library and seven-in-one classroom in Dauli Demo School, Hela Province, with a US$100,000 grant from the TX Foundation.
2. Comprehensive Primary Health Care (CPHC)
We have shipped biomedical equipment donated from the old Royal Adelaide Hospital, from South Australia to Hela Province.
3. Life Begins in the Soil Economic Empowerment (LBITS)
We have piloted a poultry project in Port Moresby ATS Settlement, and it is a success story.
Philosophy and Values
Start from where you are. Build with what you have
Each person is equal, and therefore deserves to have the same opportunities and choices; to be able to speak freely, become educated, and participate in decision-making for their own growth and development, and for their society, using their own language, ideas and ways.
The five values that underpin our work are:
1. Equality
Women, children and men are the same in dignity, worth, and status, wherever they live, work, and die;
2. Local action
Empowering communities by working with local ideas, knowledge, and resources;;
3. Sustainability
Respect for nature and the environment, planning for progress while preserving traditional skills and cultural assets for the future;;
4. Participation
Everyone has the right to participate and contribute in their chosen way;;
5. Innovation
Always eager to learn and try new ways and evidence-based strategies.;
Vision
SoilChild is based on a living story — of poverty and disadvantage, and denial of education and independence; but also of courage and determination to triumph above them.
It begins with a young girl growing up in a patriarchal society of a remote PNG village who seizes the opportunity for education and strives to realise her vision for her village, her province and her country – a vision of equity of opportunity for all, of access to healthcare and education, and of empowerment of individuals and communities to build a productive and sustainable future built on respect and dignity.
That girl has founded SoilChild, and is working to realise that vision.
Become involved today!
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