Mendi, Papua New Guinea – The International Organization for Migration (IOM), in partnership with the Social Change and Mental Health Directorate, successfully concluded a two-week-long community sensitization workshop on community-based mental health, Psychological First Aid (PFA), Child Development through Positive Parenting, and Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in Mendi, Southern Highlands Province (SHP). 

The workshop was conducted in two phases, targeting distinct groups: 

Week One: Focused on community leaders, including village court magistrates, ward councilors, women leaders, youth leaders, and church representatives. 

Week Two: Catered to government officials, including community development officers, nursing officers, and other government administration officers from the four districts in SHP. 

A total of 52 participants (29 males and 23 females) attended the workshop. The sessions were designed to be community-focused, emphasizing the importance of PFA, community mental health, mental health in the workplace, gender-based violence awareness, and positive parenting. 

Participants expressed satisfaction with the training and committed to using the knowledge gained to raise awareness within their families and communities, especially on the importance of Mental Health, Self-Care, Parenting, Gender-Based Violence, and community well-being, with a focus on practical, compassionate, and informed approaches to these issues. They highlighted that many times during crises or disasters, they forget to care for their children because of the stress they are experiencing at that time. 

Sharrot Jack, a youth leader from Mt. Bosavi, shared his thoughts on the training, saying: 

"The limited government services in our area make it challenging to access the resources needed for awareness, but I am keen to return and do what I can to support my community and bring about positive change. I am grateful to IOM for giving me this opportunity." 

IOM, with the support of USAID, continues to deliver workshops aimed at empowering communities with vital skills and knowledge to address pressing challenges, fostering resilience and well-being at the grassroots level. The training sessions were well-received by both community leaders and government officials, who acknowledged the importance of sustaining awareness efforts to create a positive impact across SHP. 

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For further information, please contact: 

Peter Murorera, Tel: +675 321 36 55, Email: pmurorera@iom.int 

Anne Mandal, Tel: +91-9902608725, Email: amandal@iom.int