SoilChild Concept Paper 2022

SoilChild

CONCEPT PAPER

Shila Yukuli Paia
Founding Visionary
Cert RN, BHSc, MHID
DrPH Candidate, Flinders University

 January 2022

PART 1: SOILCHILD PROGRAM  

Overview

The name SoilChild is a brand, philosophy, dream, vision, story and program. It originates from a personal story and experience of growing up in poverty, disadvantage, patriarchy and victimised of gender-based violence. In rural PNG, chronic inter-generational poverty is associated with system disadvantage where people are suppressed from accessing basic education, health and economic opportunities. As a result, people live in desperate situations with poor health and education outcomes, limited resources and poor living conditions with no income and employment. In this context, the land is the only asset people have as a source of economic and social capital. People have a special connection with the land its resources where life is viewed as it begins in the soil which in itself is a story of hope. The child in the metaphor signifies new life. This new life is born on the land, cultivates the land to sustain life then returns to the earth upon death. This human to land inter-connectedness is a local source of knowledge and theory that shapes their cultural and social identity. So SoilChild is about cultivating this local knowledge and connecting to external resources so people can take ownership and work towards escaping the inter-generational poverty and sustain a sustainable and locally sound economic prosperity. To achieve this, SoilChild is designed to implement three main program components which focus on access to education and primary health care and using local resources to create economic opportunities.

 

Goal

Disrupt inter-generational, multidimensional and inequitable poverty in rural PNG through inter-sectoral and multidisciplinary bottom up approaches to develop gender focused human capital towards sustainable economic outcomes.

Components

SoilChild has three program components including:

·        Integrated Basic Education (IBE) 
·        Comprehensive Primary Health Care (CPHC)
·        Life Begins in the Soil (Sustainable Economic Initiatives)
Below is brief description of key principles and goals of each component of the SoilChild Program.

1. Integrated Basic Education (IBE)

The defining principle that underpins this component is access to sustainable, holistic and equitable basic education including formal and informal learning integrated within existing primary schools for teachers, students and entire community. As such, IBE main goal is to achieve improved livelihood outcomes for rural communities through integrated and equitable learning. There are five key objectives of IBE program as shown in the following objective tree.

2. Comprehensive Primary Health Care (CPHC)

The defining principle that underpins this component is to access equitable, comprehensive and integrated access to primary health care to the most disadvantaged communities. As such, the CPHC main goal is to strengthen the existing primary health care system through resourcing of supplies, upskilling health work force and training of village health volunteers. The CPHC component has four objectives as shown in the program objective tree below.

3. Life Begins in the Soil (LBITS)

The defining principle that underpins this component is empowerment, local knowledge and economic sustainability. As such, LBITS key goal is to achieve improved livelihood outcomes for rural communities through empowerment and use of local knowledge in farming and livestock raising towards escaping poverty and disadvantage. The LBITS program component has four objectives as shown in the objective tree below.

PART 2: IMPLEMENTING ORGANISATION

Overview

SoilChild is implemented in PNG through Women In Development Foundation PNG (WIDFPNG), a national Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) registered with the Investment Promotion Authority (IPA). (ttp://widfpng.weebly.com/soil-child-project.html). WIDFPNG works in partnership with Fulcrum Aid LTD based in Australia which auspices SoilChild in Australia for networking, fundraising, advocacy and management. (https://fulcrumaid.com.au/projects2/three-plus-papua-new-guinea). 

WIDFPNG formation and background

WIDFPNG is founded on a personal story of struggle against poverty, patriarchy and violence. To date that founding director is one of few educated women in her society. WIDFPNG is registered as a PNG national NGO under the Business ACT 1995 in September 2010. Its constitution is underpins the underlying philosophical values. The organisation has two functional branches. At the executive level is the board and at the operational level is the program tier. WIDFPNG believes strongly in partnership and as such has a wide range of stakeholders, individuals and beneficiaries. SoilChild is WIDFPNG’s comprehensive program. The SoilChild idea, vision, story and program components have sold itself at the international level with a strong support base in terms of finance and other resources. WIDFPNG has a temporary office location in Dauli, Hela Province, PNG. Currently there is no paid staff, no office facilities and no ongoing resources. SoilChild is adopted by Fulcrum Aid in South Australia where the founding director lives. SoilChild is piloted in Hela Province.

Vision statement

WIDFPNG believes in equality, sustainability of human development & empowerment of vulnerable populations to escape systemic, inter-generational, multidimensional poverty towards achieving a sustainable economic prosperity & desired positive livelihood & well being outcomes.

Mission statement

WIDFNG strives to achieve its vision by:

         1. Empowering full participation of those in deprivation and voicelessness 

2. Creating a space for nurturing local knowledge and social networks

3. Building networking at a global level and advocating for WIDFPNG voice and philosophies within established institutional systems

4. Striving to be innovative, evidence based and learning attitude

Underlying values

       1. Equality-women, children & men are same in dignity, value & status wherever they live, work & die

       2. Local action–always working with local ideas, knowledge, resources, skills

       3. Sustainability–respect for nature, always planning and working towards the future

     4. Participation–everyone has the right to participate in whatever way towards progress that doesn’t cause harm

     5. Innovation-always eager to learn, try new ways and evidence-based work

Operational management structure

WIDFPNG board is made of 6 members comprised of 3 women leaders who are the visionaries, not all of them necessarily literate; and 3 professionals with public health, international development and law qualifications. Program staff are all volunteers, 3 based in South Australia (SA) and all are in Port Moresby and Hela Province, PNG. Currently the General Manager oversees all the programs as shown below.

Figure D: WIDFPNG organisational structure (all positions are currently filled by volunteers while vacant)

Partnership structure

Partnership is key to WIDFPNG’s existence. Partnership at all levels is underpinned by its underlying values. Currently WIDFPNG key partner in SA is Fulcrum Aid which adopts SoilChild. Other partners including donors, charity, backers and individuals are managed by WIDFPNG in PNG and Fulcrum Aid in SA. Here is how WIDFPNG creates its space within the broader partnership network structure.  

Figure E: WIDFPNG partnership structure 

Accountability

A financial and project completion report is set out to be compiled and submitted to all stakeholders concerned once particular project is completed.

Program target location

We are currently working in Hela Province and Port Moresby as shown in the map below. Similar models will be replicated in other parts of PNG as we grow in resources and impact.

PART THREE: STAKEHOLDERS

WIDFPNG takes pride in its high-level stakeholder network at the international level from academic and research institutions, government & community media organisations, charitable groups, individual backers, corporate social responsibility agencies and donors. The following figures provides an up to date stakeholder database.  

PART FOUR: MEDIA INFLUENCE

We are very fortunate to have gained a strong media influence of SoilChild in PNG and Australia. Media has a strong voice to network, advocy and fund raising and WIDFPNG continues to establish ongoing network with the media. Figure 10 below demonstrates WIDFPNG media network.

PART FIVE: CONTACT & COMPLIANCE