PPSEAWA-USA News - December 1998


Table of Contents
President's Message The PPSEAWA Network: Conference Connections Lead to News Coverage Toledo Chapter Autumn Board Meeting in California Toledo Chapter Supports Philippines Family Planning Project Report from Papua New Guinea The Ukrainian Museum Appreciates PPSEAWA Thai Women Set up Watch Committee Just to let you know: Obituaries Marcelle Tibbs Retires as Editor Speedy Recovery Wishes PDF Version of this Bulletin	Report from Papua New Guinea Jennifer Litau, USA Member at Large Jennifer Litau writes from Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea to share her achievements on behalf of PPSEAWA in the last year. For the past year, she reports, efforts have been made to network with women in the country about PPSEAWA. So far the network includes lecturers in Nursing Colleges, Agricultural extension workers and a core group of interested women in Port Morsby. One of Jennifer's difficulties has been communication. She lives 14 miles out of town and women are spread over a large region. She has a goal of fundraising to purchase a fax machine to facilitate communication. On May 13, 1998, Jennifer organized a one-day conference for the women of Port Moresby at the Pacific Adventist University. Thirty women attended. A midwife spoke on the topic of "Safe Motherhood", a physician on the topic of "Family Health and AIDS" and an attorney on the topic of "Constitutional Rights of Women". There had never been anything of this nature done in PNG before. From 16 to 22 June, 1998, a Home Economist lecturer and Jennifer took a group of eleven women to Cairns, Australia for an educational-cultural exposure trip. The women were students at PAU or wives of students. The objective of the trip was to show women that they are able to mobilise and organise to achieve things together. Fund-raising was undertaken to help subsidise the cost of the trip. The women came back with feelings of more self-esteem than before the trip. Three projects Jennifer has personally been involved in this year are: inclusion of policy statements in the student handbook about improper sexual behavior, harrassment and physical assault at PAU. Most of the violations of these policies are against women. Another project has been drug awareness, mentoring and counseling young women in a Primary School. Lastly, Jennifer is a proposal for funding to train the wives of students. They would become certified trainers in the areas of nutrition, health, education, women and the law and family life. This way they return after four years to their island communities with greater status. Editor's note: If you wish to respond to Jennifer or help to fund her projects please write her at: Pacific Adventist University, Private Mail Bag, Post Office BOROKO, National Capitol District, PNG

Report from Papua New Guinea