Sharon Nerius: Working to Build Resilient Communities in Kokopo

My ambition in life is to work hard, be innovative and be competent in what I do.

I have a Diploma in Accounting (PNG), Graduate Diploma in Not for Profit Management (NZ) and a certificate in Forestry and Timber Processing (PNG).  Prior to joining IOM, for 12 years, I worked with a Provincial NGO in East New Britain addressing Community Development Issues (Gender & Youth) and was also overseeing the organizations management through its Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (PM&E) Programming.  While with the NGO, I volunteered under the Oxfam International Youth Partnership (OIYP) program – Australia (2004-2007) and became an active partner and later a mentor and motivator (2007-2010) for the next young generation with the OIYP program within the region and mostly at the country and provincial level.

In between my job with the NGO, I did short term engagements; to assist the donor (Bread for the World - Brot) to develop a PM&E manual for its partners in the Pacific.  I also became Assistant Auditor with the Soil Wood Association (Woodmark) and carried out - Forest Management Assessment and Chain of Custody Standards for control woods through the certification process (Forest Stewardship Council - FSC) for 3 Timber companies in PNG.  On special short-term contracts, I also assisted in conducting External Evaluations for seven (7) NGOs in PNG.

In 2015, I joined IOM as the Livelihood Assistant and carried out Livelihood and Early Recovery support services in close collaboration with the Provincial Disaster Centre in East New Britain. Currently with IOM, I work as a project assistant under the Emergency and Disaster Management Unit.  For the past couple of years, I have had close working collaboration with NARI and OISCA International to undergo a food security program specifically in the province. 

So far we have conducted six trainings on Food Production to assist vulnerable communities prepare themselves with sustainable food development initiatives in order to improve their livelihoods.  As well as that, to assist families to better withstand the challenges and impact of any likely event of a disaster that may occur in the form of flooding, prolonged dry spell, earthquake or landslides which have common occurrences in the province.       

In October last year, I was fortunate to be selected to attend the UNITAR Hiroshima Women’s Leadership in Tsunami-based Disaster Risk Reduction Training Programme for World Tsunami Awareness Day 2019.  The Training allowed women leaders from the Pacific to discuss and develop strategic DRR plans and actions to take and work towards mitigating the reduction of Disaster Risks in their countries. With the vast experience in working with risk communities, learning about their challenges and networking with external partners, it has been a great strength for me while serving especially the vulnerable communities in my province.   

What we do is also a learning pathway towards planning developmental ideas with our partners while working towards creating positive change in people’s lives, thus promoting equality and improved living standards in communities.