To all our stakeholders,

Warm greetings from the National Office Young Womens Christian Association of PNG.

The significant achievements of the YWCA of PNG over the past twelve months are attributable to the talented, professional and committed staff & volunteers working at the National office and throughout the local branches including Ramu (a Project site). The dedication that has been displayed by all staff is evident when reflecting on the activities of the twelve months.

2007 has been a year of great challenges, since two of our key staff left; Lorraine Siraba (Tok stret Radio Project Coordinator) who is currently on study leave in Australia and Priscilla Kare (National General Secretary) who resigned to contest the National General Elections. This was the setback as it left the Office understaffed to deal with a lot of outstanding management and organizational issues.

The National Office Management Team acknowledges and commends Priscilla Kare for setting the Leadership and benchmarking strategies for our current achievements of the YWCAs in PNG since her term in Office from 2004-2007.

In our 45 years of operation, the YWCA of PNG has been able to build on and further enhance its reputation as an innovative, quality service provider and has contributed to serve our local communities to improve quality of life and to develop the potential of women.

We continue to strive to achieve our mission and to experience further growth and success through the implementation of our existing and upcoming projects and programs.

Over the past twelve months the YWCA has embarked on new projects and strengthened its partnerships with existing project partners.

These project include the following:

• A major advocacy campaign on the Limited Preferential Voting System in partnership with the PNG Electoral Commission and a member of the Civil Society Election Observation Team. We were also involved in the new electronic system that was piloted in Madang. These are in fact life long learning experiences for our staff and volunteers who participated in the program. The YWCA has worked with 3000 LPV Trainers both male and female, that resulted in 60,000 families and individuals who have been reached with the LPV program in 14 provinces nation-wide.
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• The YWCA has been accepted as host Organization for a 2 year pilot project in Community Mobilization for Behavior Change for HIV prevention in partnership with the National Volunteer Service (NVS) and the International United Nations Volunteers (IUNV). We have been considered successful in securing a HIV & AIDS response pilot project by the National AIDS Council Secretariat (NACS). The signing of grant agreement and partnership is in progress in 2008.
  
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• The PNG Chamber of Mines and Petroleum had approached the YWCA to pilot a role model program for women in mine sites in its four targeted areas. Further discussion, planning and implementation are in progress.
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  Meanwhile, we continue to provide innovative services and dissemination of cross-cutting issues and information for women and the general population in our existing projects (Tok Stret Radio, Adolescents Reproductive and Sexual Health (ARSH), and Womens Health Literacy.
  
  The Peer Education component of the ARSH Church component will be rolled out to the YWCA Local Associations after been piloted for the past three years. The National Office will now target the out of school youths working together with mainline Churches and communities.
  
  International Day against Violence against Women Advocacy program was broadcasted live from Goroka including a pre-recording session in the night at Masi Village; at the same time Tokstret Peer Education Training of Trainers Workshop was also conducted by one of our project partners (UPNG-Peer Education) for five consecutive days for all YWCAs sponsored by United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
  
  With many like-minded civil society organizations, YWCA was involved in the 20 Days Activism Planning and Program such as the Universal Children’s Day, Open Forum on Gender Budget and its Impacts, Press Conference on Citizens against a rapist elected during the National General Election, Human Rights Day and World AIDS Day Parade in Goroka.
  
  The National Office staff was increased with the appointment of Mathilda Parau as the Assistant Coordinator and Media Officer who has joined the Tokstret Radio Program-ARSH Church Project Team.
  
  While these milestones have provided opportunities to reflect on our organization as a whole, it has also been a time of monitoring and evaluating the progress of our National Strategic Plan 2004-2007. Our future plans through these processes is to review and develop a new strategic plan for the next 3-4 years, ensure all YWCAs are in compliance with Standards of Good Managements and Accountability, strengthen our relationships with the Local Association; Regional Offices and World YWCA.
  The YWCA continues work with all women in addressing issues of poverty, HIV and AIDS, gender inequality, social injustice and violence through our existing projects/ programs and develop fund-raising strategies for YWCA social capital initiatives; consider the importance of partnership, accountability and leadership as well as managing diversity and change in all our engagements.
  
  Finally, to strengthen and improve our internal Organizational Development Plans, the YWCA has developed a Financial Management system unique to the Organization.
  
  YWCA of PNG continues to be a respected leader at all levels, bringing the voice of young women, the experience of local women from around PNG and our Faith perspective to policy makers. With an outreach of 1000 women & young women holds enormous possibilities for leadership and compels YWCA PNG to strive for Good governance and Commitment to important issues affecting women today.
  
  It has been noted that YWCA of PNG is the only vibrant Womens Movement in the country that is a community focused organization of which I am immensely proud to be part of.
  
  I thank the support of the Board of Directors, staff members, volunteers, stakeholders and donors which has been important to ensuring the success of the organization.
  
  We look forward to the challenges of 2008.
  
  Acting National General Secretary