May 7th 2009 - Digicel Foundation launches Mari Seif Haus in Lae

Lae: the Digicel PNG Foundation launched its first Meri Seif Haus in partnership with Lae City Mission today.

The Meri Seif Haus is located at 2 Mile settlement (Block 7) in Lae and consists of a concrete two storey building with 2 rooms upstairs – each with its own toilet and shower facilities. Downstairs features a common area encompassing a kitchen, toilet and office space. The facility can provide shelter for up to 8 women and children at a time.

The Digicel PNG Foundation funded this very first Meri Seif Haus project at a total cost of  K60,000. In keeping with the Meri Seif Haus project and concept elsewhere in PNG, those vulnerable to domestic violence now have a shelter and safe place to seek refuge should danger or threat arise.

Residents of 2 Mile will operate the shelter, supported by Lae City Mission – which is is already actively involved with local youth. The Lae City Mission provides manual training in carpentry, construction work, metal work, and farming techniques, and gives literacy and numeracy training as required.  The Mission will support the new facility with capacity-building training in areas such as counseling techniques.

In keeping with all Foundation projects in PNG, local human resources have contributed to the launch of this project. 2 Mile youth have been closely involved in the construction of the shelter and will be providing security for the new community facility.

Larry George is founder and Managing Director of City Mission PNG, Speaking at the launch, he said:
“This is a very exciting new project for the Lae City Mission and the 2 Mile community. 2 Mile community will now have access to a well equiped facility for women and children, affected by domestic violence, right inside the heart of the community. This Meri Seif Haus will provide them with temporary shelter and support and will hopefully help us all to improve our lives and our future. Thank you Digicel Foundation for your support and we look forward to working with you in providing more communities in PNG with this much needed community service”.

The Digicel PNG Foundation has placed a Community Learning Centre (CLC) on the site, alongside the new Meri Seif Haus. With school fees remaining beyond the means of most local parents, many children do not receive a primary education. Therefore the centre wil be used as a pre-school for the 2 Mile children, and will include a library holding 200 children’s books, which were kindly donated by Hope Worldwide PNG.

Marina van der Vlies is CEO of the Digicel PNG Foundation. She concluded:
“The Digicel Foundation is very happy to be launching its first Meri Seif Haus here at 2 Mile, 7 Block today. This is a very special launch of a facility that will benefit all community members. It will provide women and children from 2 Mile with a temporary shelter and will also serve as an educational facility for the young children here that are not attending school due to financial limitations. Thank you City Mission for your support. This is a true commmuntiy resource and I ask you all to take good care of it”.

Since the launch of the Foundation last year October 20 Community Learning Centres, 4 school building projects and the first Meri Seif Haus have been established. The Foundation plans to fund the building of more women’s and children’s shelters throughout PNG over the next year, aiming to support communities as they hopefully become more self-reliant in the future.