In February, dedicated volunteers Zarah and Philip collaborated to lead the YES Grow program in Lae, Papua New Guinea.
Lae is the capital of Morobe Province and is the second-largest city in Papua New Guinea. It is located near the branching of the Markham River and at the start of the Highlands Highway, making it a main corridor for trade and commerce.
ABV has expanded YES Grow in partnership with BSP Financial Group Limited to include more areas of PNG. Small businesses are the backbone of a strong economy, which is why this program focuses on supporting regional entrepreneurship in areas like Lae. Over three days, participants learn essential business basics like finance, marketing, and business planning.
Zarah and Phil found immense fulfilment in the experience, "Delivering YES Grow was incredibly rewarding. We had varying levels of business expertise among participants, from startups to well-established ventures, but everyone valued the new tools and frameworks for future growth," said Zarah.
One participant, Merilyn Moss Henry, Director of Novelty Car Hire, said, "Knowledge is power. We actually got the best from the best. I personally learned and gained a lot from this workshop, which I will apply to my small business and I expect to see big difference and progress in my business adventure."
Zarah looks forward to staying connected with participants through online mentoring, emphasising the importance of this work to strengthening PNG's economy together. She said, "We're excited to continue supporting everyone in reaching their goals, one step at a time."
