Cecilia is promoting resilient WASH in the islands region of Papua New Guinea

Known as ‘mother’ in the communities she works, Cecilia is a respected and influential advocate for improved water and sanitation in New Ireland and Bougainville. Cecilia’s lived experience shows the great benefit that comes from empowering women who provide a local understanding of the unique WASH needs of women and girls. (Live & Learn PNG) 

Cecilia is known as “Mother” in the local communities where she works – a respectful designation that indicates her influence with both men and women. Cecilia’s lived experience of empowerment is a contrast to the experience of many women in Papua New Guinea (PNG), she is an example of the importance and benefit of supporting women to lead and drawing on their local knowledge, understanding, strength and capacity to create change in communities.

Cecilia worked as a teacher for many years before joining Live & Learn PNG, she has long been a passionate advocate for menstrual hygiene and health education in schools, and improved water and sanitation access, particularly for girls.

Live & Learn PNG is partnering with Plan International through their Water for Women project, Resilient WASH in the Islands Region of Papua New Guinea.

Supported by the Australian Government, the project commenced in late 2019 by taking a baseline survey assessing water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) access and community perceptions about gender and social inclusion (GSI). Gender equality and social inclusion are an important focus of Water for Women projects. When water is scarce, it is women and girls who usually suffer the greatest impacts. That is why Plan and Live & Learn started with gender and social inclusion training for new project staff before activities began. Cecilia and the rest of the team are change agents within the community and are using this training in the 29 wards participating in the project.

Actively involving all people within communities (women, girls, men, marginalised groups, people with disabilities) ensures more equitable and inclusive access to WASH. Cohesive and socially inclusive communities are naturally more resilient, including to shocks from a changing climate and they are more likely to have effective and sustainable outcomes in WASH.

Following data collection which provides important baseline understanding, the project has initiated Water Safety Planning processes in rural communities with an emphasis on identifying climate-related risks and developing resilience action plans. Ensuring women participate and have a strong voice in this process is critical to building community resilience to climate change. Throughout 2020, the project team has also been heavily involved in COVID-19 preparedness within the project communities.

Cecilia’s passion and lived experience shows the great benefit that comes from empowering women who provide a local understanding of the unique needs of women and girls.

Not only does it help us create appropriate and sustainable WASH solutions for the community; ensuring women participate and have a strong voice in this process is critical to building community resilience to climate change.

The Resilient WASH in the Islands Region of PNG project is implemented by Plan International in Australia in partnership with Live & Learn Environmental Education. A key outcome of the Project is improved understanding of gender and social inclusion in WASH contributing to changed behaviours in households, communities and institutions.