Only for Papua Partners

Papua Partners works on a tiny budget bit has managed to help transform the lives of over 150,000 indigenous Papuans.

To keep the work going and to expand in to new areas we desperately need your help. To maintain and develop our planned work we need to raise £10,000 over the next three months

The aim of Papua Partners is the creation of sustainable transformed communities through the mobilisation and strengthening of indigenous organisations and churches. Our work is currently focused in the province of Papua, the poorest area in Indonesia. The charity has been actively doing this in Papua since its foundation in 2006.

WEST PAPUA

In Papua, it is estimated that at least 37% of residents are poor. Despite substantial investments by foreign donors and the Indonesian government, Papua Province is the only area of Indonesia where the Human Development Index is falling. The context has changed dramatically over the last 50-60 years. People have gone from stone age practices in an animistic culture to living with internet, mobile phones, rapid development and being part of a globilised world

In the 8 years of partnership with local NGO Yasumat Papua Partners have been able to impact over 150 communities with community based health and education with now 38 church and community run schools and over 150 community health workers. We have started to see the local church become more active and involved in their local communities. Recently in the District of Bokondini we have seen women come together from 30 communities to form their own savings bank which has now over 300 members. In the last 4 years we have raised the profile of women in the communities and are working with the church on issues of gender and culture and faith.

Although Papua only has 1.5 percent of the population of Indonesia its HIV/AIDS levels are reported to be 15 times higher than the national average. The HIV prevalence is now been defined as in the generalised epidemic stage at 2,4 percent (versus a national average of 0.3) and 3 percent in youth aged 15-24. As testing only occurs in urban centres, the known numbers are only the tip of the iceberg. 

The overall goal of our HIV and AIDS  programme is to reduce its spread by changing attitudes, beliefs and practices through the mobilisation and action of local churches in their communities.