Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

PNG Archbishop: Aid projects should be partnerships

Posted at 05:42 on 28 July, 2009 UTC

The Catholic Archbishop of Mount Hagen in Papua New Guinea, Douglas Young, says the relationship between aid donors and recipients in the Pacific should not be viewed as merely rich people helping the poor.

Archbishop Young is in New Zealand to attend the Catholic Education Convention to present a seminar on Cooperative Action - looking at the links being made between children in PNG and New Zealand through an aid project in Western Highlands.

The project’s objective is to provide financial support for developing a two-teacher school in the province’s Rulna area.

It’s estimated that to establish the primary school for 60 students will cost around 35 thousand US dollars.

Archbishop Young says the partnership dimension is essential to this project.

“PLAY AUDIO:PNG NZ RICH”

“IN:......It’s not just that rich people are helping poor people. It’s true that New Zealand is materially better off than the people in Rulna, but the people in Rulna have a rich tradition, a rich history, a rich culture. They’re rich in many ways that new Zealanders would envy - they eat fresh veges every day. And they have something to offer New Zealand.”

“DUR:...20 seconds”

Archbishop Douglas Young