Partnerships Toward Progress in Papua New Guinea

Sago Network is a not-for-profit community development organisation that has been working in Papua New Guinea (PNG) since 2008. Our aim is to strengthen lives in PNG by improving water, sanitation and hygiene standards at a community level. Sago Network partners with local communities in PNG to address basic access to safe drinking water and safe sanitation.

The complex and inter-related development challenges of water and sanitation have been tackled by Sago Network by forming a diverse and multi-disciplinary team which is flexibly configured around the needs of each community based upon their needs. The team includes architects, community development professionals, health professionals, project managers, engineers, carpenters, plumbers, builders and education professionals. Sago Network views each of these professions as crucial to the delivery of projects and to PNG’s future development.

Sago Network’s programmes are focused on partnerships with rural and coastal communities who are committed to effecting positive change in their villages. Each project undertaken by Sago Network aims to place local people at the centre of their own development process. Communities are empowered with the decision-making ability to shape the project’s core objectives and are encouraged to make a meaningful contribution toward their achievement. The team values process as highly as product, always seeking to undertake a process that is inclusive and capacity-building in nature.

Sago Network’s approach to its community-centred development work is guided by the following values:

01 The Healthy Island Concept

The Healthy Island Concept (HIC) is a participatory community engagement, planning, and monitoring approach, unique to the Pacific Islands, which focuses on community participation as an essential key to achieve sustained behaviour change. It provides a framework in which development issues are analysed, prioritised, and implemented in order to achieve a healthy community, as reflected in the lives of children, adults and the aged. The success of Healthy Islands initiatives is strongly linked to community commitment and buy-in from health-related organisations and institutions at the highest level. Papua New Guinea (PNG) National Department of Health endorse and encourage the use of the Healthy Island Concept in the National Policy on Health Promotion.

02 Participatory Development

Participatory Development is a process through which stakeholders can influence and share control over development initiatives, and over the decisions and resources that affect themselves. The key beneficiaries and stakeholders involved, participate in formulating goals, planning and carrying out activities which results in the empowerment of stakeholders and fosters a sense of ownership. These facilitate effective project implementation, conscientious monitoring of activities, and sustainable outcomes.

03 Gender Equality & Social Inclusion

Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) addresses unequal power relations experienced by people on the grounds of gender, wealth, ability, location, ethnicity, language and agency or a combination of these dimensions. It focuses on the need for action to rebalance these power relations, reduce disparities and ensure equal rights, opportunities and respect for all individuals regardless of their social identity. In aid and development, GESI strategies and principles aim to integrate social inclusive practices including promoting gender equity, minimising gender based violence, empowering people with disabilities and other disadvantaged populations, ensuring the impact of development work reaches the most vulnerable and excluded groups.

Sago Network endorses, promotes and implements frameworks from Healthy Islands, Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) and Participatory Development, to ensure that programmes are founded upon robust principles and delivered in accordance with best practice development methodologies.

04 WASH FIT

The Water and Sanitation for Health Facility Improvement Tool (WASH FIT) is
a comprehensive framework designed to enhance the quality of care in healthcare facilities by focusing on water, sanitation, and hygiene. Developed through a collaborative effort between the World Health Organization and UNICEF, WASH FIT aims to continually improve the standards of healthcare facilities. It addresses five key areas: water, sanitation, hand hygiene, healthcare waste, and cleaning. Each of these areas includes specific indicators and targets that need to be met to ensure the maintenance of a safe and hygienic environment.

When partnering with healthcare facilities, Sago Network adopts the WASH FIT framework to enhance WASH standards and promote positive health outcomes.