Paula Tesine recently graduated with a Master's Degree in Medical Sciences from the University of Papua New Guinea. She is an intermediate-level medical researcher and has been working with the Vector Borne Disease Unit of the Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research for the past five years. Paula’s primary interest is in the investigation of antimalarial pharmacology for preventing, managing and eliminating malaria in young children, pregnant women and postpartum women, the populations most vulnerable to the disease.

IVLP Impact Award Project: Financial Sustainability and Navigating Food Security in Middle to Low-Income Households in Urban Papua New Guinea  

This project empowers women in middle to low-income urban community settings in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, by providing financial literacy training to foster a budget and savings culture to best maximize their household income, whether it be from the formal or informal sector. The project will include a week-long workshop that will provide the basic knowledge and tools as a guide to financial freedom and security.

In August, Paula hosted a five-day financial literacy workshop, teaching 10 participants budgeting skill and financial goal. Paula reports that all participants have established income streams and are working towards their financial goals. Another post-training evaluation will occur in November.

IVLP Exchange Experience

Paula participated in the IVLP Project  Public Health and Climate Crisis for the Pacific Islands organized by the U.S. Department of State and Cultural Vistas, in partnership with Boulder Council for International Visitors, Global New Orleans, International Citizen Diplomacy of Los Angeles, WorldDenver and World Trade Center Institute.

Paula’s exchange experience led to the development of her IVLP Impact Award project: “Discussions with the DC Food Policy Council and the Global Seed Savers on the impact of climate change on food security were the inspiration for this project.”

U.S. Communities Visited

Los Angeles, CA; Boulder, CO; Denver, CO; Washington DC, New Orleans, LA; Baltimore, MD

Country: Papua New Guinea

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