Tools of the Trade
As a tradesperson, if you're anything like me, you're probably thinking that the AYAD Program is a pretty fancy sort of a program for a carpenter - but I can tell you that being part of the AYAD program was one of the most challenging, but rewarding things I have ever done.
I felt honoured that a regular carpenter could be of use in this way. Not only that, but I really felt like carpentry was a job where I could provide a useful way to improve others skills.
In country, I wasn't far wrong - carpentry and other trade skills are definitely needed and considered valuable. The great thing about having a trade means that I was able to make a tangible difference to those communities - I could see and touch what I'd done. I could see what it meant to the people within each community.
It was quite a shock to turn up on the first day of work in my tool belt and work boots and discover that the locals had turned up in shorts and bare feet, with no tools. Often through all the jobs, I would be the only one able to work as the others couldn’t stand on the concrete slab because it would burn their feet!
My Host Organisation, the Uniting Church Mission of Papua New Guinea is based in Milne Bay province. Many of the communities where they work are on small isolated islands and the church provides the main avenue for basic care and development. Boat transport and sometimes radio contact are the only means of contact to the larger centres like Alotau.
Working with the locals was one of the best parts of making the jobs worthwhile. When we were preparing a team for each job I always tried to get a mix of workers - some with building skills and others with absolutely none. It was a good way to ensure that two outcomes were achieved: the work got done and a broader range of people in the community learnt new skills.
It was also a lot of fun working with the local guys. I asked one labourer how old he was (he looked 25ish). He sat and thought before answering, ‘I think 50 or 48, yes 48’. I asked him if he was sure and he didn’t look too certain so I asked him what year he was born in. Straight away he said 1978. He was rapt when I told him he was only 29!
One project I worked on was the building of a local Health Centre. While I was working on it I started to come to an understanding of the impact this Heath Centre work would have in the community. As a result of the work we were doing, some more funds (about $30 000) had been given, because the donors saw that things were finally starting to happen at the site.
The Health Centre will now be able to provide an ambulance to be used for fast transport to Alotau Hospital in emergencies and the new labour and emergency wards will make a big difference. It was a good feeling seeing pregnant mothers who will benefit from having access to health care in the immediate future.
Sometimes after finishing a job I still felt like I hadn’t done enough. Finishing a classroom or health centre does not necessarily mean it will be looked after and maintained well. My ten months on assignment were an important first step towards long term sustainability but my Host Organisation and I are hoping the training of local workers in building and maintenance will continue so the buildings will last and fulfil their function for local communities.
Working in PNG gave me the kind of experience that only working abroad can provide. I constantly overcame work related challenges - usually related to transport and the availability of materials. Overcoming these issues meant solving problems in different ways, and helped to put my problems at home into perspective. Working in these communities was a humbling experience; these people with so little were so incredibly generous to me, and I could see that my being there really made a difference.
The most valuable thing I have come back with is the confidence in my abilities and with what can be achieved with a bit of perseverance and hard work. I've often heard that being a good tradesman isn't about how you react when things go well, but how you respond when things go wrong. I hope that I passed on both counts.
Looking back, I gained so much from my experience as an AYAD and I couldn't recommend the Program highly enough to others with a trade or skill. We can make a huge contribution and our contribution is needed.
My time in PNG was incredibly challenging. I will never think back and say it was easy, but I will always say it was worth