First 20 Mothers receive SME loan statements under NDDA Partnership Program

Twenty mothers from the Pulabe area in Hoskins, Papua New Guinea, have received their first SME loan credit statements. This marks a significant step in the Nakanai District Development Authority (NDDA) SME Partnership Program, which collaborates with Women's Micro Bank (Mama Bank). The initiative is designed to empower women by providing access to affordable finance, fostering entrepreneurship, and ultimately improving household incomes in rural communities.

The ceremony, held at Hoskins Girls Technical Secondary School, was officiated by Francis Galia Maneke, Minister for Oil Palm and President of the Hoskins Rural LLG. A total of 154 mothers from the Pulabe area have qualified for the program. The first batch of 20 applicants received their statements, with the remaining beneficiaries set to be processed in daily batches of 20, starting Monday, July 13, 2026.

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The presentation marks the fruition of the NDDA SME Partnership Program, an initiative aimed at empowering women through access to affordable finance, encouraging entrepreneurship, improving household incomes, and creating sustainable economic opportunities in rural communities.

The initial 20 recipients collectively received K20,000 in loans, with each mother approved for K1,000 to support or expand their small business activities. The program's full scope will inject K154,000 into the local economy through loans to all 154 successful applicants. The funds are expected to be credited to beneficiaries within the next seven days. This partnership between the NDDA and Mama Bank reflects a shared commitment to enhancing grassroots economic participation and empowering women across the Hoskins area and Nakanai District.

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The partnership between the NDDA and Women’s Micro Bank (Mama Bank) demonstrates a shared commitment to empowering mothers and strengthening grassroots economic participation across the Hoskins area and Nakanai District.