This year (2024), the Femili PNG’s Lae outreach team visited primary schools in Lae and Huon Gulf districts to raise awareness amongst teachers and students about family and sexual violence, child abuse, child safety rules, sorcery accusation-related violence, and relevant laws and referral pathways for services available to assist survivors.
Morobe Provincial Education Board Chairman and Provincial Program Advisor, Mr. Keith Tangui, approved Femil PNG’s request to visit schools and carry out awareness and information sessions for teachers and students.
Before reaching out to schools, Femili PNG conducted an information session with twenty-three (23) head teachers from primary schools across Lae District to introduce them to our planned activities and intervention programs for schools.
The teachers and students found the awareness-raising sessions enlightening and informative. They learned where to get assistance if they experienced violence and how to prevent violence from happening.
In August, our outreach team conducted information sessions with teachers and students from Zumara Primary School – Umi Azera LLG in Markham District and Taraka Primary School in Lae District.
According to Benard Nulai, Femili PNG’s outreach officer, teachers embraced the information shared with them and also undertook to share this with their students. The outreach officer reported that some students volunteered to come forward, collected contacts, asked many questions and said they were willing to call Femili PNG concerning the abuse they are experiencing.
“Every time we did awareness in any school, two or three students would always come forward and ask for more information and stated that they have been through some form of violence and they would like to call and seek assistance,” says Benard.
Deputy Head Teacher for Zumara Primary School, Mr. Yalamo believes that not many students and teachers in his school are aware of the types of support services available for survivors prior to Femili PNG’s information sessions. He is certain these information sessions have opened new pathways for them to seek support if they or someone they know is experiencing violence.
In 2024, Femili PNG reached 13 primary schools, including nine from Huon Gulf and four from Lae District.
Thank you to the Australian Government for the ongoing support through the PNG AUS Partnership. Femili PNG remains committed to ensuring the public know that Family Sexual Violence is wrong and there are services available to help survivors.
