Australia is backing a new grassroots partnership in Menyamya District, Morobe Province, aimed at strengthening health and adult literacy services following the signing of a formal agreement between church and district authorities.
The partnership was sealed through a Memorandum of Understanding between the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) and the Menyamya District Development Authority (DDA), under the PNG-Australia Partnership’s Church Partnership Program (CPP).
Signed on Monday the 4th of May, the agreement follows extensive community consultations where residents raised concerns over limited health services, workforce shortages, and gaps in adult literacy programs. These issues were raised through social accountability activities and later fed into district planning processes.
According to ADRA, the partnership is designed to move beyond consultation and into practical delivery of services shaped by community priorities.
“For us, this partnership is about getting practical support to people where it matters most,” said Bernard Paru, CPP Program Manager at ADRA.
“With support from the PNG-Australia Partnership, we work alongside communities in Menyamya every day, and this agreement strengthens our ability to improve health services and adult literacy in ways that respond to real needs and can be sustained over time.”
The Australian Government, through its Consulate in Lae, also welcomed the initiative. Australian Consul General in Lae, Mr. Brenton Kanowski, said the agreement reflects the strength of collaboration between communities, churches, and local authorities.
“This agreement shows what is possible when communities, churches and local government work together,” Mr. Kanowski said.
“By listening to community concerns and embedding them in district planning, this partnership is helping to strengthen health and literacy services in ways that are practical, locally led and sustainable.”
The initiative forms part of the broader Church Partnership Program, funded under the PNG-Australia Partnership, which has operated since 2004.
It formalizes cooperation between Papua New Guinea’s mainline churches and Australian church partners to support service delivery in health, education, gender-based violence prevention, peacebuilding, and community resilience.
Officials say the Menyamya agreement reflects a growing shift toward community-driven development, where local voices play a direct role in shaping service delivery.
