Wantaim PNG

29/08/2026

66% There. One Boat Away From the Rest.

Most families in Manus live off the land and the sea. Subsistence farming, subsistence fishing — and little left over for something as simple as light.

When the sun goes down, homework stops. Some kids study by firelight. Most don’t study at all.

Working with Pihi Manus Association, Wantaim PNG has delivered more than 8,000 solar lights to 65 of Manus’s 95+ schools — 66% of the province, reached.

We want to deliver 4,000 more before the end of 2026, to stay on track for every school by mid-2027. Getting there means more trips like the one you’ve seen us make: two days, 118kms, one banana boat.

Our boat is seven years old and needs replacing.

Help us fuel the last mile — https://www.wantaimpng.org/donate/

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28/08/2026

They Came for the Football. They Stayed for the Facts.

When vaccines arrived in PNG, so did the fear. Misinformation moved fast, and for many communities, there was no one they trusted to explain what was actually true.

So Wantaim PNG brought in Dr Gabriel Yohang — a Manus-born specialist rural GP and medical lecturer — to talk to his own communities in Tok Pisin, and in his tok ples, the language of his own village.

We ran a soccer tournament to get people there. It worked.

People turned up for the football, and left with real answers, from someone they already knew and trusted.

Because cutting through fear doesn’t take a campaign. It takes someone the community already believes.

wantaimpng.org

21/08/2026

No Vaccine. No waiting.

When COVID-19 reached PNG, there was no vaccine yet.
Australia closed its state borders in March 2020. One month later, Wantaim PNG began its own response in Manus — soap and hygiene training, delivered door to door.

Over the following eight months, our team reached every community across Manus Province. All of them.

That wasn't just about being there. COVID exposed how little trust many communities placed in public institutions and international agencies. Wantaim PNG's team didn't arrive as strangers. Years on the ground had already earned something that can't be delivered overnight: trust.

To our knowledge, no other NGO or government agency achieved complete community coverage across any province in PNG during this period.

When it mattered most, our team showed up. People let them in.
wantaimpng.org

13/08/2026

“Melanesian relationships come with an enduring obligation for renewal through presence, reliability and return”.

A concluding message from our CEO’s interview with ABC Conversations this week. Thank you Australia - Papua New Guinea Network for catching it so well.

Lynne Shori grew up with her hero dad, thinking her Papua New Guinean mother was dead. As an adult, she discovered the truth and set about finding her lost family. When Lynne was growing up, it was just her and her dad. Lynne's dad was her hero; he was different and adventurous but she always felt s...

07/08/2026

Such a big day for us. Thank you all joining the telling of this story ❤️🙏🏽

07/08/2026

Our Founder and CEO on ABC Conversations today - loss, reunion and invincibility.

Thank you Sarah and the team of ABC Conversations. X Team Wantaim PNG

Lynne Shori grew up with her hero dad, thinking her Papua New Guinean mother was dead. As an adult, she discovered the truth and set about finding her lost family. When Lynne was growing up, it was just her and her dad. Lynne's dad was her hero; he was different and adventurous but she always felt s...

07/08/2026

What an amazing experience. Thank you Sarah - so grateful. x Lynne

07/08/2026

It's out! 🎙️

Lynne's interview with Sarah Kanowski for ABC's flagship Conversations aired today — on air and on podcast.

https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/conversations/lynne-shori-manus-png-wantaim/106988290

It's the personal story that continues to shape Wantaim PNG — a story of loss, reunion and why Lynne never stopped going back to Manus, PNG.

Give it a listen — this is one you won't want to miss.

06/08/2026

We are SO excited for this one. 🎙️

This Friday, our CEO Lynne Shori goes on national radio! Lynne's interview with Sarah Kanowski for ABC's flagship Conversations broadcasts on Friday, on air and on podcast.

The personal story that continues to shape Wantaim PNG — a story of loss, reunion and why Lynne never stopped going back to Manus, PNG.

Set a reminder. This is a story you can't miss.

https://www.facebook.com/abcconvos