The MoU between the two organizations. Picture supplied
The Centre for Excellence in Financial Inclusion (CEFI) and The Leprosy Mission Papua New Guinea have formalised a new partnership aimed at improving financial literacy and inclusion among vulnerable communities across Papua New Guinea.
According to CEFI, the two organisations recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), establishing a collaborative framework to deliver financial literacy training and related financial inclusion initiatives over the next three years.
CEFI Acting Executive Director Peter Samuel described the partnership as an important milestone. He said the collaboration marks the first time CEFI has entered into a formal partnership with a health-focused organisation working directly with marginalised communities.
Samuel noted that CEFI has traditionally partnered with financial institutions but emphasised that financial inclusion must extend beyond the financial sector.
“For us, this is a very unique partnership because we have mainly focused on traditional partners such as financial institutions. However, our agenda and even our name speaks about financial inclusion,” he said.
He encouraged both organisations to ensure the partnership delivers meaningful action and tangible results for communities.
“Let us not just sign the MoU and put it aside. We must share our work programmes and find ways to collaborate so that the partnership delivers real outcomes for the communities we serve,” he said.
Senior Programme Manager for PHACE, Larson Neayambe, welcomed the partnership and expressed appreciation for CEFI’s support in strengthening community empowerment initiatives.
“We want to see projects that empower people so they can sustain themselves,” he said.
Neayambe acknowledged that TLM-PNG does not have the technical expertise to deliver financial literacy training independently, making the partnership particularly valuable.
“We are a health organisation and do not have the capacity or expertise to facilitate financial literacy training. Thank you for accepting us and agreeing to sign this MoU,” he said.
Under the partnership, CEFI will provide financial literacy training for 25 TLM-PNG staff and key volunteers involved in community-based development programmes. The training will support initiatives where financial capability is essential, including the Preventive Health and Community Empowerment (PHACE) programme, Sustainable Active, Fearless and Empowered (SAFE) Communities initiative, Kominiti Assistance Package (KAP), Climate Change Resilience (CCR), and crab farming projects.
In addition, the programme aims to reach at least 500 community participants over the three-year period through community-based retail financial literacy training.
