PNG suffers from high maternal and child mortality rates, often because women give birth without a skilled birthing attendant. Newcrest scholarships to train nurses and midwives are saving the lives of mums and babies in remote PNG, and supporting the national community health system.

Funded in partnership with the Australia Awards program, the scholarships are one way we invest in developing our host countries, delivering benefits beyond local communities. The impact of our business goes well beyond the boundaries of our site operations.

The innovative public-private partnership directs Newcrest funding through the Australian aid program to support the PNG Government’s development priorities.

Newcrest is a long-term partner for PNG, and we want to see it grow and thrive. We work with others who share these goals, including the Australian Government and provincial authorities, to support the PNG Government to improve health, education, and women’s empowerment.

This year, five Newcrest-sponsored students began their three-year Diploma of Nursing in Lae, joining six students who began studying in 2018. Also sponsored by Newcrest, 10 students from across PNG graduated with Bachelors of Midwifery in 2018, and another 10 students began studying this year. We have also committed to supporting 10 midwives and another five nurses in 2020 through the Australia Awards.

By the end of 2019, Newcrest will also have funded advanced maternity care skills training for 28 community health workers from New Ireland and East New Britain.

We also fund Lihir Medical Centre, which treats more than 50,000 patients per year, as well as a ground-breaking malaria eradication program. As our presence grows in PNG, so does the opportunity to have a national impact on important wide-ranging issues such as health and education.