In April 2025, Simon H James, a nurse and midwife from Lae, PNG, began a life-changing project as part of the Rotary PNG Midwifery Leadership Buddy Program. With support from his Australian midwife buddy, Glenda, Simon developed a business case to address a critical issue: mothers being forced to give birth in darkness due to frequent power cuts at the Waterbung Health Centre Labour Ward.
Through program funding of AUD $500, Simon purchased and installed solar lighting to ensure safe, respectful, and quality maternity care.
The installation was celebrated by staff and community members, many of whom shed tears as this was the first project of its kind in decades. Simon urged the community to take ownership and sustain the system, noting that it would directly save lives and improve outcomes for both mothers and babies.
This project is a powerful example of how the Midwifery Leadership Buddy Program empowers local leaders, strengthens communities, and delivers lasting impact through simple, sustainable solutions.
I travelled on my day off to Goroka on a PMV bus on Wednesday last week, to pick up the solar panel from the Supplier and travelled on another bus some kilometres to my home.
On Thursday morning I went to the health centre and the staff and the community were there to meet me. Each of the community representatives gave their speech including youth women representatives, young women representatives and also the OIC and his team. They shed tears because this is their first time in some decades to receive such a project it is a huge milestone achievement. I gave my speech and said to them please take ownership and sustain the project so that labouring mothers can deliver safely which will also assist the staff to provide respectful maternity and quality care to improve maternal and child outcome.
