From Partner Housing President Rod Johnston
COVID-19 has caused misery around the globe, but it also provides us with the opportunity to pause and ponder the bigger issues of life. From the relative security and safety of Australia, we must consider how to demonstrate practical love for our South Pacific neighbours. The volunteers assisting Partner Housing Australasia (PHA) are indeed fortunate to have many practical opportunities to provide such love.
Village community health buildings will be vital to the roll-out of COVID vaccination programs, throughout the Papua New Guinea highlands. PHA contributes funding, designs and monitors the construction (by our local partner) of such buildings. In addition to other building programs, three community health buildings have been constructed in recent years - Kalolo, Umi and Kopeng, with plans well advanced for the fourth. This has also led to a new development in our service, the provision of modest professional assistance directly to the PNG Western Highlands Provincial Health Authority.
''I believe we have come up with the perfect design for a rural health facility to deliver primary care services.'' Jane Holden, PNG Western Highlands Provincial Health Authority
Water is the lifeblood of any society, and the ongoing Solomon Islands water reticulation programs are changing lives in the remote islands of Ranongga and Vella Lavella. Central to these programs is the financial, engineering and governance assistance that PHA provides to the South Ranongga Community Association (SRCA). Building on the success of previous water reticulation and sanitation programs, SRCA will shortly commence (with PHA support) a UNICEF funded sanitation training program. This is an exciting new development in our service.
These in-country construction and training programs are supported by comprehensive professionally prepared training material. PHA is always seeking assistance by professionals, who volunteer their services on a probono basis, as a practical means to “love your neighbour”.
You can find out more at www.PartnerHousing.org
Top left: Community Health Building, Kopeng, PNG, 2021 Top right: Kalolo Community Health Building, PNG, 2015
Bottom: Community Health Building, Umi, PNG, 2020
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