The coconut oil producing ladies of Lolobau Island lead the charge to preserve local coral reefs скачать в хорошем качестве

The coconut oil producing ladies of Lolobau Island lead the charge to preserve local coral reefs

Eva Pumana is a woman on a mission. As the chairlady of the Potou Women’s Group, she is leading over 500 women and youth on West New Britain’s remote Lolobau Island in producing their own virgin coconut oil. Through the business, Eva hopes to diversify the livelihoods of the local communities and address the island’s persistent issues with overfishing, which has threatened local marine ecosystems in the past decades. Potou Women’s Group is among the six women-led micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises that UNDP is currently supporting through the Blue Economy Enterprise Incubation Facility, which was established in 2024. By providing grants, business trainings and other technical support to local MSMEs, the facility seeks to unleash the limitless potential of Papua New Guinea’s sustainable blue economy. With UNDP's support, Eva and her colleagues are currently building a coconut oil production facility on the island and finding new markets for selling their products. Watch the video below to learn more about the women’s aspirations for the future!