Being recognized for achievements in an inaugural event is a kind of outstanding success and that was the case with the Coastal Pipeline Women’s Association (CPLWA), a landowner group within the Coastal Pipeline Landowners’ Association (CPLLOA) of the Ramu Nickel and Cobalt Project in Madang Province.
Ramu NiCo’s CPLWA was awarded with the Outstanding Women’s Contribution in the Resource Industry by the PNG Chamber of Mines and Petroleum in its inaugural Community Affairs and National Content Conference & Expo (CANCONEX) in Lae Morobe Province. This award category recognizes women’s association or group that demonstrates an initiative that has had positive impacts on their communities.
CPLLOA is one of the four (4) mine impact communities within the project tenement areas; the other three are Kurumbukari LOA, Basamuk LOA and Inland Pipeline LOA.
Representing her committee members and the association’s 3,000 registered members, Chairlady of the CPLWA, Ruth Kamai said, “The association was established in 2013 and in 2019 one percent (1%) was appropriated for the women group and we saw them receiving the first portion of royalty from the total yearly revenue of the Ramu Nickel and Cobalt Project administered by Ramu NiCo in 2020.”
Mrs. Kamai, who was a thrilled chairlady because of the women landowner association that was recognized for their performance in managing the projects given to local women of their communities to manage and sustain their livelihoods, spoke highly of the system in which she and the CPLWA committees used and appropriated to registered members of the association that led to the group’s success.
Mrs. Kamai said, under her leadership as chairlady of the CPLWA, she and her committee members allocated money into zones within the association according to the number of members who were expected to use the money wisely with their advantages and venture into small to medium enterprises (SMEs) to sustain themselves.
She said, “When the first given money goes into small businesses or projects, most people failed during the first time and only a few people were successful in using their zone’s portions appropriated to them.”
“Most women who were given money ventured into poultry farming, trade stores and cocoa fermenters right away. Those who managed those small projects well and successful will be awarded a little more when next portions of royalty are being made available to continue with their small projects.”
The CPLWA committee members, who attended the inaugural CANCONEX and came out as winners for their outstanding contributions in the resource industry, from the benefit received from the Ramu Nickel and Cobalt Project, were astounded, but were delighted that their contributions towards sustainable communities were recognized and that they’ve set the benchmark for other landowner groups of the project to follow suit.
