Projects

Our team led the design and implementation of a national commercial development strategy for the cocoa industry in Papua New Guinea, delivering tangible outcomes for rural farming communities. The initiative shifted the development model from externally driven aid to farmer-led enterprise by embedding professional business systems directly into the community. Through this approach, thousands of smallholder cocoa farmers gained access to a corporate-style structure—complete with governance, incentives, and financial accountability—that allowed them to capture more value from the cocoa supply chain.

Farmer groups were supported by performance-based production teams, creating a culture of shared accountability and measurable results. As part of the initiative, farmers were equipped with practical business and financial literacy, and developed individualized farm business plans that helped them understand their economic potential. This enabled a powerful mindset shift from subsistence farming to entrepreneurship, resulting in increased productivity, higher incomes, and a stronger, more inclusive rural economy.

Our team played a central role in the national and international growth of NPC, a 100% Indigenous-owned and community-controlled enterprise delivering diversified services across sectors, particularly within the mining industry. Over a four-year period, we partnered with NPC’s leadership to shape and implement its strategic growth plan—anchored in community empowerment, workforce development, and sustainable enterprise.

This work led to measurable outcomes, including expanded operations across new regions, the creation of strong partnerships with other Indigenous communities and corporate stakeholders, and enhanced internal alignment between business performance and community values. A critical element of success was our ability to support NPC in balancing commercial objectives with its community development mission—ensuring that growth translated into real career pathways, economic opportunity, and shared value for Indigenous people.

We also contributed to the development of strategies that addressed systemic barriers to Indigenous workforce participation and enterprise leadership, including targeted capability development, career planning frameworks, and business diversification strategies that positioned NPC for long-term sustainability.

Our team has successfully delivered financial and business literacy training to over 5,000 participants across diverse Indigenous communities, with a focus on rural and agriculture-based livelihoods. These programs have helped farming families and small business owners transition from informal, subsistence-level operations to structured, income-generating enterprises. Through tailored training and practical coaching, participants have strengthened their financial management skills, improved their ability to track income and expenses, and developed viable growth strategies. The outcomes have been transformative—leading to increased household savings, stronger micro-enterprise performance, and greater community confidence in financial decision-making. This experience demonstrates our commitment to building lasting economic empowerment from the ground up.

We led the design and early implementation of the Abau Rural Development Program (ARDP) in partnership with the Hon. Dr. Puka Temu MP and the Department of Agriculture and Livestock. This initiative was created to unlock economic opportunity and strengthen public service delivery by building stronger, more functional linkages between the public sector and private enterprise.

Our work addressed a key challenge: the District Administration’s difficulty in moving from planning to action. Through strategic facilitation and technical guidance, we successfully transitioned the ARDP into implementation, achieving several foundational outcomes:

• Industry Development Plans were completed for high-potential sectors including fishing, rubber, fresh produce, and distribution—outlining actionable steps to catalyze local enterprise and economic participation.

• Establishment of the Abau Economic Development Corporation was approved, marking a pivotal structural change to enable private sector engagement and improve the delivery of essential services.

• Banking Access Expanded through the negotiation and drafting of a Memorandum of Agreement with the National Development Bank to introduce banking services into the District for the first time.

• Economic Participation Targets were set, focused on increasing the contribution of local business to the Abau economy, setting a measurable pathway for long-term inclusive growth.

This project demonstrates our ability to mobilize implementation in complex governance environments and design mechanisms that align local leadership with sustainable economic development.