Radio is a powerful medium that can inform, educate and change lives. It connects people and communities – none more important than the remote regions highlands of Papua New Guinea where Sister Maryanne Kolkia has been broadcasting nightly sessions for around 14 years with an estimated reach of 500,000 listeners.

The Mercy Works daily radio service raises awareness and disseminates current and correct COVID-19 information, and a range of other critical educative, health and social issues that impact communities.

In 2021 the studio Sr Maryanne broadcast from in Simbu burnt down due to an electrical fault. Not deterred by this setback, she pivoted to recording information on USB’s and distributed it to community leaders, as well as travelling with a loudspeaker to disseminate information across the highlands.

All of this changed recently with the installation of brand-new radio equipment that has been generously donated by the Noel and Carmel O’Brien Family Foundation in Australia. The new equipment has been setup in the Mercy Works office in Mingende.

The Mercy Works Radio programs have now resumed, and its broadcasts are now once again listened to by more than 500,000 people across the Highlands of Papua New Guinea.

The daily radio program broadcasts across the remote Simbu province to raise community awareness on the many different topics impacting the lives of local people – from campaigns to end gender-based violence, to people’s civic responsibilities to participate in voting, to COVID awareness, information about many Mercy Works training opportunities and small to medium enterprise activities, and sharing peoples’ stories of success in these endeavours.

Programs planned for this year include topics such as awareness raising of women’s issues, the rights of the child (International Year of the Child), organic farming skills, United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and climate change and global warming. They will also be promoting powerful local stories of change from the people who benefit from Mercy Works’ programs.

Mercy Works Chief Executive Officer, Sally Bradley RSM said radio is such an essential source of information, especially in rural areas.

“We thank the Noel and Carmel O’Brien Family Foundation for their generosity in making this happen.

“The radio program has seen thousands of remote and vulnerable communities in the provinces of Goroka, Mt Hagen and Simbu benefit through increased access to training, education, healthcare and awareness of local and global issues which impact their wellbeing and future quality of life”, Sr Sally said.

To find out more about Mercy Works – mercyworks.org.au

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