Church and faith-based NGO leaders gather with Australian Government representatives at Anglicare in Port Moresby, PNG. © DFAT. Used with permission.
Delegation Visits Anglican Literacy School in Port Moresby to Celebrate the PNG Church Partnership Program
On 21st May, church leaders from across PNG, Australian faith-based NGO leaders and delegates from the Australian High Commission visited the Anglicare PNG literacy school in Port Moresby.
The visit was part of the events surrounding the signing of the extension of the PNG Church Partnership Program.
ABM AID Executive Director Rev’d Dr John Deane was present, as well as the Acting Archbishop of PNG , the Right Rev’d Nathan Ingen.
A news item about the event was featured on local news channel TV Wan, click below to watch:
For more than 20 years, Papua New Guinea’s churches and Australia have worked side by side to help build a stronger, more resilient future. The program promotes collaboration between churches, as they strive to provide services to people in remote parts of the country.
The delegation visited the Anglican Church of Papua New Guinea Literacy School in Port Moresby, where church-led adult literacy programs are teaching people to read, write, and gain essential life skills.
“Schools like this one are what we like to call faith in action,” said Craig Gillies from the Australian High Commission in PNG. “This is what’s good for all. Thank you so much to the Anglican Church, and the other churches here today. Australia is proud to support this work.”
The school is supported through the Church Partnership Program, which works with PNG churches and Australian faith-based organisations to strengthen service delivery in education, health and social inclusion.
The group also visited St Therese Urban Clinic in Hohola, run by Catholic Church Health Services, which provides essential medical care to people living with HIV.
ABM AID is proud of this longstanding partnership and the difference it continues to make in the lives of Papua New Guineans.
Anglicare PNG adult literacy teachers and learners show the delegation how they work © DFAT. Used with permission.
In June 2026, ACPNG and ABM AID staff joined other Church Partnership Program partners to plan for the next two years of the program. Building on the adult literacy model, ACPNG will shift towards a more inclusive economic empowerment approach, supporting literacy graduates to start income-generating projects such as cocoa, poultry and coffee initiatives.
In addition to increasing household income, these community projects aim to sustain local literacy schools. ABM AID looks forward to continuing its partnership with ACPNG and churches across Papua New Guinea to support communities.
Staff from the Anglican Church of PNG’s National Office and Church Partnership Program © Kate Winney, ABM AID. Used with permission.
It’s all in the planning: staff from the Anglican Church of Papua New Guinea’s CPP program plan activities for the year ahead © Kate Winney, ABM AID. Used with permission.
The delegation visited the Anglican Church of Papua New Guinea Literacy School in Port Moresby, where church-led adult literacy programs are teaching people to read, write, and gain essential life skills. © DFAT. Used with permission.
Members of the PNG Church Partnership Program gathered together on May 21 © DFAT. Used with permission.
ACPNG’s Adult Literacy Program receives funding from the Australian Government, through the PNG Church Partnership Program and PNGAus Partnership.
