Stronger Businesses, Stronger Communities: Mt Hagen PNG

The BSP-ABV partnership continues to go from strength to strength, as we support the roll out of BSP’s Business Bank creating more opportunities for Small and Medium Enterprises through our co-designed capability development program, YES GROW.

Indeed, the energy in Mt Hagen, PNG was firing with another impactful YES GROW training cycle, this time strengthening the vibrant business community in the Highlands Region.

A successful training workshop cycle wrapped up in June, with strong engagement from participating local businesses. We are proud to be supporting a diverse range of enterprises, spanning sectors such as retail, accommodation, tourism, vehicle hire and other vital services.

The YES GROW Program is all about supporting and building on existing capability to:

• Turn business ideas into reality with practical tools, mentoring and step-by-step guidance.
• Build confidence in managing money – including improving understanding of cash flow, pricing and profitability.
• Improve access to finance by becoming loan-ready and building a stronger financial track record.
• Stabilise and grow income, reducing the stress of uncertain income.
• Make more informed business decisions with real-word insights and learning from experienced business professionals.
• Strengthen resilience to shocks (e.g. market changes, climate events, loss of major customers, etc.).
• Create jobs as their business grows sustainably.
• Expand their choices, including new markets, new products, new opportunities etc.
• Have someone in their corner – a trusted business mentor to talk through challenges and opportunities.

During the last week of on-site activities, the program shifted gears, moving from the training room to worksites across Mt Hagen. The team hit the road for on-site business visits and are excited to learn more about how these dynamic businesses manage their daily operations.

These visits provided our skilled business volunteers, Chris Maddock and Jennifer Marshallsea, with key ground-level insights to deliver tailored and effective support. When our volunteers return home, the journey doesn’t stop, it evolves. They will continue to walk alongside these participating businesses, providing structured online mentoring and coaching for the next six months to ensure long-term business resilience and growth.

As always, the success of YES GROW comes down to fantastic teamwork between BSP and ABV staff and volunteers.

We wish our newest YES GROW businesses the very best for their next steps and look forward to welcoming them to the YES GROW Alumni Network later this year.