Habitat for Humanity Papua New Guinea

Habitat for Humanity Papua New Guinea was formed in 1983 in Port Moresby, and then moved to Lae, the second-largest city. There are seven affiliates: four in the eastern Morobe province (Finschafen, Markham, Morobe and Nawaeb); one in Eastern Highlands province; one in East Sepik province and one in the Western Highlands. A new affiliate is also being proposed in Madang.

In Pacific Island nations such as Papua New Guinea, the indigenous communities own more than 80 per cent of the land. Hence, Habitat uses the Community Build housing microfinance model to involve an entire village or neighborhood in a house-building or renovation program. In Papua New Guinea where land and raw materials are owned by an entire village, and two or three families share one house, Community Build helps to leverage resources and reduce housing costs.

Habitat also uses the Save & Build model under which 10 to 12 families form a savings group to save for the cost of building houses and construction materials. Home partners are also expected to put in their own labor to build their own houses as well as those of others in the group. To date, more than 100 saving groups have been formed. Savings groups are also functioning in Lae as part of an official urban housing program.

A typical Habitat house is made of timber with a corrugated metal sheet roof. Due to heavy rains, the house is raised on stilts a meter or more off the ground to keep it dry. The area under the house is used for storage, community gatherings and livestock. Habitat encourages home partners to cut and mill their own timber from their own land. To ensure sustainability, Habitat has developed a reforestation project; two trees are planted for every tree used for a Habitat house.

Four types of Habitat houses are being built in Papua New Guinea. The first type, at 33 sq. m. in size, is a one-bedroom structure; a two-bedroom house is 37 sq. m. in size while a three or four-bedroom home is largest at 48 sq. m. The average monthly repayment per house is US$15.50 and the average mortgage period is 20 years. Under Save & Build, the average loan repayment period is three to five years.

Habitat’s work in Papua New Guinea is boosted by the partnerships with business corporations, non-profit agencies and churches. It counts OK Tedi Mining, Jersey Overseas Aid Commission and the Lutheran Church among its partners.

Papua New Guinea has also hosted several international volunteer teams. More than 25 Global Village teams from Australia, Japan and the United States have worked with HFH PNG to build houses.

Habitat Highlights

• OK Tedi Mining partnered with HFH PNG in a housing and community development project that began in April 2006. At least 500 families in the Western Province will be served. OK Tedi will also fund a water project in the community.

• In February 2006, the Jersey Overseas Aid Commission approved 41,436 grant (more than US$72,000) to build 50 houses in East Sepik province.

• Finschafen affiliate built four houses for health workers in a project with the Lutheran Church in 2005.Lutheran Church is donating land in rural areas to Habitat and leasing out three acres of land in Lae city; a Habitat Resource Center is planned.

• Andrew Baing Vocational School students support annual builds with the Markham affiliate.

COUNTRY FACTS
Population: 5,670,544 (July 2006 est.)
Capital: Port Moresby
Area: 462,840 sq. km.
Ethnic groups: Melanesian, Papuan, Negrito, Micronesian, Polynesian

Languages: Melanesian Pidgin serves as the lingua franca, English, Tok Pisin, Hiri Motu, and 715 distinct native languages.
Religions: Roman Catholic 22%, Lutheran 16%, Presbyterian/ Methodist/London Missionary Society 8%, Anglican 5%, Evangelical Alliance 4%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1%, other Protestant 10%, indigenous beliefs 34%

Affiliates in Papua New Guinea