The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) has launched the “Partnerships for Civil Society Adult Education Initiatives” project in Papua New Guinea (PNG), which is jointly funded by the Government of the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID) and the ADRA office in the United Kingdom.

Through this project, 25,600 people will learn to read and write and 2,800 people will be involved in income generation activities. Most of the participants will be women.

This initiative will reduce poverty by working with community-based organizations and the government of PNG to improve education and income generation opportunities. The community and government will also learn more about the right to education, as well as the rights of women and those who are physically-challenged. Literate people are able to increase their income and health. They are able to participate more effectively in the community, and they can more successfully influence public authorities on issues that affect their lives.

PNG is a country with good natural resources and limited political strife. However, poverty is high, particularly in rural communities, with 37 percent of the population living at or below the poverty line. PNG was ranked 137th on the Human Development Index (out of 177) in 2005, and life expectancy is just 55 years. PNG’s literacy rate is the lowest in the region with only 51 percent of women being able to read and write.

Worth more than US$656,000 (€516,050), the project will last three years. DFID has provided US$630,000 (€495,600) and the remaining US$26,000 (€20,450) was provided by private donations to the ADRA office in the United Kingdom.

ADRA is present in 125 countries, providing community development and emergency management without regard to political or religious association, age, gender or ethnicity.