DJ Organic Produce awarded the Autonomous Region of Bougainville Women of Influence Award at the SME Awards night

Ms Delwin Ketsian is the proud recipient of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville (ARoB) Women of Influence Award at the 3rd Annual PNG SME Awards Night held in Port Moresby last Thursday.

October 28, 2022

Ms Delwin Ketsian.

Seru Kepa | UNDP Papua New Guinea

Ms Ketsian is the owner operator of DJ Organic Produce, a local SME based in Arawa, Bougainville that specialises in Agribusiness focusing mainly on primary produce, including spices, cocoa and natural oils, for Bougainville, domestic and international markets

‘’I would like to thank UNDP for sponsoring and supporting such an award recognising women in Bougainville. I would also like to acknowledge the PNG SME awards, for this award, and the PNG as a wonderful opportunity that brings together SMEs in Papua New Guinea to interact and connect with each other,’’ said Ms Ketsian – upon accepting the UNDP sponsored, ARoB Women of Influence Award.

‘’Our products are already on the shelves, in some of the major supermarkets in Bougainville Rabaul and Port Moresby,’’ she said.

At her speech, Delwin stated that, Bougainville has primary produce in abundance but needs support to convert that into marketable products that can then be added value and sold at a premium; our farmers are already planting black pepper, white pepper, turmeric and other natural products.

‘’As a woman who produces local organic products, I encourage and aim to empower women in Bougainville, and in Papua New Guinea, to get involved in such initiatives that will promote and generate local products. It is an honour to receive the ARoB Woman of Influence Award.’’

The 2022 SME Awards is endorsed by the SME cooperation and proudly supported by UNDP and UNCDF.

‘’UNDP is a strong believer in empowering SMES/ MSMEs in Papua New Guinea and creating an enabling environment for local economic development, ’said Dirk Wagener, UNDP Resident Representative.

‘’Most recently UNDP has started implementing two projects that work with local MSMEs in Port Moresby, Lae, and in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville. UNDP’s goal is supporting the entrepreneurial ecosystem and the acceleration of the development of the MSMEs sector in PNG, promoite gender equality and women's empowerment, whilst engaging institutional partners and the private sector.

UNDP also sponsored a second award, the ‘UNDP innovative and sustainable women entrepreneur award’ - which was awarded to Ms Geno Geno, from The Seed Supplier, based in Port Moresby; a local agricultural business led by a experienced female agriculturist, who works with local farmers to help reduce poverty and promote wealth creation, through supplying a variety of plant seeds, for consumption, landscaping, and decorative purposes.

‘’I would like to thank UNDP for sponsoring and supporting such an award recognising women in Bougainville. I would also like to acknowledge the PNG SME awards, for this award, and the PNG as a wonderful opportunity that brings together SMEs in Papua New Guinea to interact and connect with each other.’’
Ms Ketsian