Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea has a population that is geographically and culturally diverse with over 700 disparate cultural groups, many residing in remote areas. Service delivery is expensive and logistically challenging and most communities have difficulty accessing quality health care, education and adequate transport. Approximately 40 percent of PNG's population lives in poverty. Papua New Guineans have a low life expectancy and a high rate of infant and maternal mortality. 

First aid posts and rural health centres provide 'front line' health care in many isolated villages around Papua New Guinea. In many cases, the villagers provide a building - often a simple structure made of wood or palm fronds - and a health care worker is assigned to treat everything from emergencies to common illnesses. Serious cases are sent to the closest health centre or hospital.

The objective of the "The Nichola Goddard Light Up Papua New Guinea" project is to improve the quality and functionality of health care facilities in rural PNG by installing solar powered LED lighting systems so that health facilities can be used in the evening. Light Up The World believes that bringing light to aid posts and rural health care centres will contribute to an improvement to the quality of health care provided in PNG.

The Light Up Papua New Guinea Project is in honour of Nichola Goddard. A  Canadian born in Papua New Guinea, Nichola was a Captain in the 1st Regiment of the Royal Canadian Horse Artillery when she was killed in combat while serving with the Canadian military in Afghanistan. Nichola was born in Madang, Papua New Guinea and lived in Passam, near Wewak; in Losuia, on the Trobriand Islands; and Kainantu in the Eastern Highlands. Although her family left PNG when Nichola was 3 years old, she was always proud of the fact that she was born in that country.

As part of her legacy, Light Up The World is working with the Goddard family, school children, people across Canada and around the world to raise money to light up first aid posts and rural health centres in Papua New Guinea. Our objective is to bring light to more than 1,100 of these facilities throughout the country. To get an update on the progress of this project please read the most recent project update. 

For more information about memorials and tributes in honor of Nichola Goddard, as well as events and activities connected to them, please visit www.nicholagoddard.com.