Working together to thrive together

GUDPELA SINDAUN

A scalable community led WASH initiative.

Because the 85% of PNG without access to safe toilets can’t wait any longer.

STORIES

THE
CHALLENGE

In PNG today an estimated 85% of people continue to defecate directly into their local environment.

This accounts for PNG’s ranking amongst the worst in the world for access to safe, hygiene sanitation. It also drives PNG’s persistently poor health outcomes with regards to rates of typhoid; cholera; polio; stunting; malnutrition and child mortality.

While the link between sanitation and health outcomes is well known, the roll out of safe, hygienic toilets in PNG is failing to keep pace with rapid population growth and conditions have worsened over the past two decades.

WASH programmes that can be rapidly scaled up are needed to reverse this trend. Through thoughtful programming design, sanitation linked social and law and order issues in rural PNG could be tackled simultaneously.

THE
PROGRAMME

Gudpela Sindaun engages entire communities to secure local ownership: men (in the building) and women (in the catering and support roles).

BUILDING FUTURES

Young men reconnect to elders who pass on traditional skills (weaving, bamboo sourcing) and western skills (carpentry, plumbing) while a train the trainer approach delivers scalability by engaging many communities in this process.

When this happens, the widening sanitation gap in PNG can be closed. Fast. This in turn maximises the positive health impact.

Embedding pathways to employment for youth gives hope and removes the primary cause of the social and law and order issues: youth disengagement. It also provides the platform for scalability.

Gudpela Sindaun in tok pisin means“the good sit-down”: the good life. The concept is central to Wantaim PNG’s reason for being: to help rural PNG communities to thrive

IMPACT

Through innovative programme design and selection of environmentally sound technology, Gudpela Sindaun programme is delivering 16 of 17 UN SDGs.

PASSING ON SKILLS

With community elders leading teams of youth and passing on traditional and western skills, it is at once a story of hope and a celebration of tradition and culture.

WATCH THE DOCUMENTARY

Liklik Haus Kamapim Bigpela Senis featured on NBC PNG A Current Affair on World Toilet Day, 2018.

The 15 minute video documents Wantaim PNG’s discussions with 14 rural communities which inspired a locally led pilot and resulted in the completion of beautiful, safe, sanitation facilities for 320 people across 3 communities.

Connect and follow us for the latest updates:

Wantaim PNG Inc PO Box 32
PO Box 1301 Port Moresby 121
Manly NSW 1655 NCD
Australia Papua New Guinea

Menu 1

Menu 2

Menu 3

Say Hello

A scalable community led WASH initiative.

Because the 85% of PNG without access to safe toilets can’t wait any longer.

THE CHALLENGE

THE PROGRAMME

STORIES

Kamapim gudpela sindaun FOR yumi olgeta!