Impact Stories

Realities from the ground; Designing financial services around the ‘Wantok’ culture in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea

January 9, 2019

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Up until 2017, only 10% of the population in the Highlands were using formal financial services. Westpac believes that understanding people, their culture, values, and the way things work for communities and linking those insights to the design of financial services can greatly improve the uptake and usage of those services. The ‘Choice Wantok’ savings account that Misa uses is a re-engineered bank account from Westpac to test new financial services that are tailored to the needs of lower income Highlanders.

Insurance helps dairy farmers in time of need

September 28, 2018

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Two days after their mother's passing, brothers Dharmendra and Jasvir visited the FCDCL office in Nausori to seek a microfinance loan to assist their family with the funeral expenses. It was here that they discovered that, while they were not eligible for a loan for funerals, their mother was covered under a recently launched insurance scheme for dairy farmers. Just two months prior to her death, Lusia had signed forms to be part of the microinsurance scheme launched by FCDCL in March 2018, in partnership with FijiCare Insurance Limited and supported by the United Nation’s Pacific Financial Inclusion Programme.

Mobile micro insurance reaching underserved Papua New Guineans

August 15, 2018

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By Erica Lee When Cindy Varvarum’s husband became ill last year, his frequent and expensive hospital visits drained most of the retired couple’s life savings. “My late husband, who used to be a heavy equipment fitter in Milne Bay Province in Papua New Guinea, had suddenly fallen ill, diagnosed with a rare cardiac disease. As...

Sigatoka Special School excels in Financial Education Innovation Projects

July 9, 2018

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Last year, the Sigatoka Special School was awarded one of six inaugural awards for Financial Education Innovation. The school was a standout applicant with the judging panel describing it as both inspiring and a leader in Financial Education (FinEd) in Fiji. Since 2013, every Fijian child in mainstream education schools engages with FinEd...

Son’s insurance supports family after his passing

June 29, 2018

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The Naibuka’s said their son’s insurance payout was very helpful as he was the main income earner in the family. The payout also helped ease some of the financial stress from hosting Manasa’s Vaka Bogidrau, a traditional Fijian celebration feast held 100 nights after his burial which was attended by 70 households in Vunavutu Village. Many of the villagers were interested to learn about BIMA and how they too could get the insurance cover.