A LIL' BIT OF PICKLE IN PNG

Welcome to the land of the unexpected! I have set up this pickletastic blog to share positive, inspiring, and interesting stories from Papua New Guinea (PNG). In 2013, I ignored the sensational stories and disregarded the narrow-minded reporting on PNG and started a 15-month placement with Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO). I’ve been in PNG ever since and it has had a profound effect on me, shaping the course of my future.

I started working with VSO as a Multi-Media Producer for the education team, filming videos and taking photographs to support the work done by the innovative Language Support Programme. This 15-month role took me from the highlands to the islands, filming contextual PNG teaching resources; it was a placement of a lifetime where I took in some of the most incredibly diverse landscapes on earth. At this time, I was also the first VSO Development Advocate working to change the perception of international development, using positive storytelling to shift public perception about the invaluable work being done by NGOs. This reignited my passion for storytelling from my journalistic background and a seed was sewn for my future direction...more

The liklik meri from Lae: part three – from an empty book

Fri, 24 Mar 2017 07:08:11 +0000 The liklik meri from Lae: part one – in the beginning The liklik meri from Lae: part two – growing up This is the final part of the story about Angela Roypo, one of the strongest, determined women I have … Continue reading →

From polygamy to abstinence

Wed, 14 Sep 2016 18:23:49 +0000 Scholar Sipa Mawe is 43-years-old from Koge village, Simbu, in the highlands of Papua New Guinea (PNG). From a very young age her path was defined for her; Scholar knew that she wouldn’t be able to have children. When she … Continue reading →

PNG style

Tue, 23 Aug 2016 19:38:32 +0000 What you spot people wearing on the streets of Papua New Guinea (PNG) never fails to amaze me and make me smile.  I can sense that this love may well become one of my photographic obsessions, but who can’t fail … Continue reading →

Going the extra mile

Wed, 27 Jul 2016 05:30:02 +0000 Ever smiling, forever sparkly, Everlyn Suau, is 27-year-old Specialist Speech Therapist at Modilon General hospital in Madang, Papua New Guinea (PNG). Everlyn was born with polio, which resulted in her having no kneecap and significant mobility issues. With the majority … Continue reading →

The liklik meri from Lae: part two – growing up

Tue, 12 Jul 2016 05:45:15 +0000 Angela Roypo is 28 years old from a small, remote village close to Gulf province in Papua New Guinea (PNG). In the first part of her bittersweet fairy tale she shared a life of challenges and mistreatment, but through her misfortune came a … Continue reading →

Speaking out and saving lives

Fri, 08 Jul 2016 05:11:06 +0000 Margret Noel is 32-years-old from Simbu in the highlands of Papua New Guinea (PNG). Life has not been easy for Margret. In 2002 she came to live on the streets of Madang as she had to leave her abusive husband … Continue reading →

Snow-topped heads

Tue, 28 Jun 2016 05:27:57 +0000 Since December my obsession with white grass hasn’t diminished. There’s just something particularly captivating and majestic about a head topped with snow coloured hair. Quite often when I’m driving in a car or sat at a singsing, it’s the frosty … Continue reading →

The liklik meri from Lae: part one – in the beginning

Tue, 21 Jun 2016 06:20:48 +0000 I feel honoured to be able to tell the story of the liklik meri (little lady) from Lae. Although small in stature, this woman is far from little; she is resilient, warm and wise beyond her years. At times while … Continue reading →

West Papua: secret police, sensitivities and skepticism

Wed, 08 Jun 2016 06:00:39 +0000 West Papua is the western half of the second largest island in the world, divided perfectly down the centre with a razor sharp line, separating the mountainous terrain with an invisible boundary. Unlike its eastern neighbour, Papua New Guinea (PNG), … Continue reading →

B is for bilum

Tue, 03 May 2016 04:38:04 +0000 The bilum is one of the most definitive symbols in Papua New Guinea (PNG). It is a handmade, colourful, woven bag that is carried by men and women alike. It can symbolise where a person is from, is given as … Continue reading →

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