USAID promotes economic opportunities for people in rural and remote communities in PNG
Success Stories May 13, 2022
Many Papua New Guineans (PNG) are still without National Identification Cards (NID) despite concerted effort by the Papua New Guinea Civil and Identity Registry (PNGCIR) to register them through the National Identification program. As of December 2021, PNGCIR registered almost 1.5 million citizens over the age of 18 but efforts to register more people, especially in rural and remote areas, is still a challenge with some citizens waiting months to get registered or not completing the process.
Having a National ID is a requirement to access basic government and private sector services such as online banking, and data gathered during registration contributes to accurate statistical information that government can use to improve service delivery to meet the needs of Papua New Guineans. A National ID enables people in rural communities to meet the prerequisite identity check required to open a bank account and register their businesses and association with the PNG Investment Promotion Authority.
USAID’s PNG Lukautim Graun Program (LGP) is addressing this problem in the communities where it works. Most recently, the LGP team worked with residents in the Sumgilbar local level government area of Sumkar district in Madang province.
LGP worked with PNGCIR staff during a three-day field visit from March 22-24, 2022 to register a total of 528 adults in Sumgilbar community for National ID Cards. Once registered, 63 people immediately opened mobile-phone based bank accounts with MiBank, a private bank specializing in services for rural and remote communities, and a partner to LGP. Promoting access to banking services supports livelihood diversification and gender equity. As local economies diversify, pressure on natural resources is reduced. Now, people in Sumgilbar community go online to register their businesses and community-based organizations, open bank accounts and meaningfully participate in micro-enterprise development, while strengthening biodiversity conservation and promoting women’s economic empowerment.
Led by Cardno International Development, USAID’s LGP works in partnership with the Government of PNG to improve the lives of people and help to protect the country’s biodiversity for future generations.
