Women will Rise Above

By Chrioni Blaze

Many Papua New Guinea women will rise above social impediments, stereotypes and gender prejudice from now on as seen in the election of Delilah Gore for Sohe Open and journalist and singer Loujaya Toni as member for Lae Open seat.

They will awaken from deep slumber and complacency and rise up to participate collectively in business and politics to determine and shape their reality and destiny in an aggressive manner.

For women to prosper in business depends on a number of economic factors like start-up capital, available credit facilities or land availability.

For women to enter politics, it only needs two things: recognition and respect. Thanks to the people of Sohe and Morobe for recognizing the leadership qualities vested in Delilah Gore and Loujaya Toni. 

Many of such women had been born, educated and prepared for bigger things ahead. They would for sure bloom in their own season. (Keep a photocopy of this story to prove this comment).

But for women to truly share in the country’s economic benefits, three inert and intrinsic virtues is the driving force; perseverance, diligence and self-determination.
West New Britain has a handful of such women. 

Driven by inner strength, Kelenes Manage, the owner of WNB Paradise Arts and Handicrafts has travelled few times abroad in her dream to expose her traditional PNG artifacts. 

She currently occupies a space and rents it monthly to WNB Division of Commerce and has been operating in this business for 37 years now without any assistance from the government.

Also, the solitary female who contended for the WNB Governor’s seat last election period but eliminated after fifth count was Roselyn Akua, that ever-smiling woman who currently operates a Kai Bar at Kimbe town. Dubbed as “Mama Roselyn Akua’s Haus Nangu”, the shop is a hub for those ‘hangre bels’ prowling around town every day.

She rents a small space within a refurbished women’s hall owned by another of such women; Mama Petrolina Pake of Rheame Business Group Incorporation.

Mama Pat, as she is affectionately known also owns a four-unit guest house within the same enclosure and makes good money also from Yuwa Financial Services which operates also within the same setting just next door.

WNB schools and government offices are privileged to also purchase basic school materials and supplies from Nahavio Stationeries owned by Mrs. Lina “Sonanguock” as she was formerly known.
Most of these women lease the spaces they currently occupy with affordable rates to other landlords and never had allowed the fact that they do not own land to hamper their aspirations.

Women have a tendency to encourage each other but needed manly support, love and care even nurturing to prepare them through difficult times in order for them to give birth to their unseen realities.

Papua New Guinea women become successful through mere sweat and strong will coupled with inner energy but as women, only perseverance may see them elevated to a level where they can become aggressive participators in viable businesses and in politics while the rest sad to say, may settle for mediocrity to become mere spectators.