When Emmanuel and Anna speak about their business, they don't talk about overnight success. They talk about persistence, learning and continually looking for ways to do things better.
It's an approach captured in the phrase that sits proudly at the heart of Yasa Trucking:
Together We Can and We Will.
That mindset has helped turn Yasa Trucking into a growing logistics business providing customs clearance, cargo transportation and freight services across Papua New Guinea. Today, the company supports businesses with everything from smaller shipments through to large equipment and container transport, helping keep goods moving where they need to go.
For Emmanuel and Anna, however, growth has always been about more than building a successful business. It's about creating something that lasts.
For Anna, that means building long-term financial stability while making a meaningful contribution to Papua New Guinea's economy.
"For me, financial stability means the long run. Leaving a lasting impression. Leaving an imprint of Yasa Trucking on this country and the economy of this country as a whole."
Emmanuel shares a similar vision for the future.
"We hope that Yasa will leave a lasting legacy and that we're able to not just grow our business for our kids, but to create generational opportunities for many Papua New Guineans who don't have that access or don't have the qualifications to have employment".
Last week, Emmanuel and Anna joined ABV and BSP Financial Group at the 2026 AFI Global Policy Forum in Port Moresby to share their business journey with an audience of policymakers, financial institutions and development organisations from around the world. The discussion focused on what it takes for small and medium-sized businesses to grow and how access to finance is most effective when combined with strong business capability and support networks.
For Emmanuel and Anna, the opportunity was about more than participating in a panel. They were excited to represent Yasa Trucking on a global stage and share the lessons, challenges and successes that have shaped their business over the past decade.
For Emmanuel and Anna, growth did not begin with the YES GROW program.
Yasa Trucking had already been operating for years and was continuing to expand its services and customer base. As the business grew, so did the challenges that come with growth. Managing finances, planning ahead, strengthening systems and maintaining day-to-day operations all became increasingly important.
Like many entrepreneurs, they found themselves asking not how to grow, but how to grow sustainably.
Through YES GROW, they were able to take a step back from the day-to-day demands of the business and focus on building stronger foundations for the future.
Another important part of the journey was the mentoring support provided through an ABV skilled business volunteer. As the business continued to grow, Emmanuel and Anna had access to an experienced mentor who helped them work through challenges and test ideas. The mentoring complemented the training and provided practical guidance that could be applied directly to the realities of running a growing company.
"We've learned a lot of skills and tools from the training with ABV and BSP, especially with cash flow management and managing our business."
"I think the other thing that YES GROW, in partnership with ABV, helped us with was being able to approach the bank with confidence, knowing what we learned through ABV."
Their story also reinforced one of the key themes of the forum: financial inclusion is about more than access to finance alone. Businesses are better placed to take advantage of opportunities when they have strong systems, good financial management, trusted networks and the confidence to plan for growth.
During the discussion, ABV Chief Partnership Officer David Faulmann encouraged policymakers and regulators to place the experiences of business owners at the centre of financial inclusion policy.
"Go and talk to SMEs in low and middle income countries. Hear the realities of running a small business on the ground. Understand firsthand the challenges they face, the aspirations they have, and then design policies from there that serve their interests."
David also highlighted the importance of partnerships in creating the conditions for businesses to succeed.
"So often we work in our own silos, with our standalone solutions. But when governments, the private sector, and civil society come together we can drive policy, create financial products and services, and support the development of enabling environments that move SMEs beyond financial inclusion towards financial health."
The panel itself reflected that collaborative approach, bringing together the perspectives of entrepreneurs, financial institutions and business development practitioners to explore how capability, connections and access to finance can work together to support sustainable business growth.
Head of Business Banking at BSP, Raymmond Logona said:
"The YES Grow Partnership has been valuable for our customers providing them with proper commercial acumen when conducting their business. The mentorship provided under Partnership assures our customers that BSP & ABV are here to support".
To date, YES GROW has supported more than 600 small and medium enterprises across Papua New Guinea, with 50% of participating businesses led by women.
