Komuniti Tok Piksa: Integrating Papua New Guinean Highland narratives into visual HIV prevention and education material: Final Report

This report presents the findings of the first phase of the Komuniti Tok Piksa (KTP) project, a research project commissioned by the National AIDS Council and AusAID under the large research grant funding round. The study, conducted by a team comprising researchers from the University of Technology Sydney and the University of Goroka, investigates the use of visual and creative tools in HIV and AIDS prevention and education in Papua New Guinea. The report presents an innovative methodology combining an indigenous research framework with visual participatory research approaches. The report accounts for the experiences and changes in experience of a diverse range of people across five PNG Highlands provinces involved in the KTP project

Save Meri Skulim Meri - Pawa Meri

Save Meri Skulim Meri is an uplifting story of how educating a girl contributes to building a strong nation. Save Meri Skulim Meri tells the story of Port Moresby based professional Susil Nelson, who works in corporate management. Susil shares her story of how she has worked to achieve her goals, the support she has received from her family and how she contributes to education for disadvantaged girls. Under her leadership as President of the Business and Professional  Women’s  Club,  Susil  has  been  successful  at  fundraising for scholarships for girls in PNG. Her own story provides inspiration to many young girls in PNG. The Pawa Meri Series celebrates the unique role of women and their leadership in contemporary Papua New Guinea

Komuniti Tok Piksa: Communities making films for HIV awareness in PNG

Having one of the highest HIV prevalence rates in the Asia-Pacific region, PNG has struggled to address issues around awareness and effective communication. Due to a number of factors including cultural barriers and remoteness of communities, it has been challenging to bring across education and prevention messages to people. This article presents selected findings of the Komuniti Tok Piksa (KTP) project, a research and production project that investigated the use of visual technologies for HIV awareness with communities in the PNG Highlands. The authors discuss KTP’s innovative approach in combining an indigenous research approach with creative action research that involves community members in message creation. As a result, they demonstrate the potential of such an approach for public health awareness in PNG

Pawa Meri - Role Models to Inspire

Pawa Meri (Powerful Women) is a six-part documentary series portraying the lives of six Papua New Guinean women who have each achieved extraordinary things in life. The women come from diverse backgrounds and represent a variety of themes relevant to development in PNG. Interviews with the women and those close to them create an intimate portrait of their achievements. As a collection of six, the filmic biographies are an important record of women’s lives in contemporary PNG. Susil Nelson is a corporate manager in Port Moresby juggling career and family whilst working to share her knowledge and experience with young female students. Gina Baidam from the remote community of Severimabu on the Fly River, is determined to bring a birthing clinic to her community to prevent mothers and babies from dying during childbirth. In Bougainville, Catholic nun Sister Lorraine Garasu was instrumental in the peace and reconciliation process during and after the civil war and continues tirelessly to help people rebuild their lives. Similarly energetic, Miriam Potopi is one of the first female village magistrates in Manus who has overcome many challenges to maintain a leadership role in her community. Jennifer Baing Waiko from the Markham Valley presents her leadership skills to her community by working in agriculture and preservation of culture, as well as contesting for the national election. Finally, Rita Karre started small, selling food on the streets of Goroka before fulfilling her dream to own a restaurant. Rita’s statement sums up the series when she says: “if I can do it, you can do it!. This series of inspiring stories showcases contemporary life and the challenges women face. As the protagonists of the Pawa Meri series deal with day‐to-day challenges, their positive outlook on life is encouraging to viewers, while the variety of stories makes the series an important resource for learning in PNG and the wider Pacific. Additionally, six female PNG filmmakers have been mentored as part of Pawa Meri, generating a new enthusiasm for media production and filmmaking in PNG and ensuring appropriate representation of female leaders. The directors, talent and film crew come from all over PNG, making it a truly remarkable project covering a wide range of issues. Pawa Meri is an exciting series of films celebrating the unique role women play in contemporary Papua New Guinea

Engaging youth in community action research : a visual methods approach to HIV and AIDS awareness

Young people are among the most affected and vulnerable groups in the HIV epidemic. Targeting young people in prevention strategies requires inclusive and participatory approaches. This paper discusses a film production project that involved youths in a remote rural community in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea. It explores some of the processes and impacts of integrating a visual methods community action project in a local community context while targeting young people in an effort to engage them in a reflective dialogue on HIV and AIDS

Visual dialogues, community action & social change: A south Pacific islands HIV/AIDS project application

This paper explores the conceptual and methodological framework of the Komuniti Tok Piksa project, which is both, research project and community action initiative. Visual research tools are used within an indigenous research framework in order to study behavioural practices, perceptions and needs in regards to HIV and AIDS in Papua New Guinea. It explores the ways in which visual methods when paired with a community action approach can be used to facilitate social change and to encourage new engagements between researchers and participants

Engaging the youth in community action: A visual methods approach to HIV & AIDS awareness

This paper discusses the findings of a film production project that involved youths in a remote rural community in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea. It explores some of the processes and impacts of integrating a visual methods community action project in a local community context while targeting young people in an effort to engage them in a reflective dialogue on HIV/AIDS

Solomon Islands Media Research Study 2012: Baseline indicators for SOLMAS Phase III

This research study provides baseline indicators for the Solomon Islands Media Assistance Scheme (SOLMAS) Program Phase III. It presents findings around the current quality of media, experiences of training to date, and relationships with stakeholders such as development organisations, government communications and the National Disaster Management Office

PACMAS: State of Media and Communication Report 2013

The Pacific Media Assistance Scheme (PACMAS) is an AusAID-funded regional media program that supports better governance in the Pacific through the development of a diverse, independent and professional media, promoting informed and meaningful public discourse region-wide. The program is managed by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and is based in Vanuatu. The PACMAS State of Media and Communication Study was undertaken through a partnership between RMIT University (Australia), the University of Goroka (UoG, Papua New Guinea) and UNITEC (New Zealand). The study was commissioned as a baseline study to inform PACMAS activities across 14 countries. The study was developed and undertaken between June 2012 and April 2013, and included visits to each country to conduct a total of 212 individual interviews, and the establishment of a Panel of Expertise for verification

Komuniti Tok Piksa Integrating Papua New Guinean Highland narratives into visual HIV prevention and education material

This report presents the findings of the first phase of the Komuniti Tok Piksa (henceforth ‘KTP’) project, a research project commissioned by the National AIDS Council and AusAID under the large research grant funding round. The study, conducted by a team comprising researchers from the University of Technology Sydney and the University of Goroka, investigates the use of visual and creative tools in HIV and AIDS prevention and education in Papua New Guinea. Its initial run, from November 2009 to September 2011, focused on the PNG Highlands region, which is characterised by diverse and often-remote communities with low access to mass media