PNG seasonal worker to earn K59 per hour picking tomatoes

A young woman from Imbonggu, Southern Highlands has been successful to pick tomatoes at a farm in Australia.

This comes under the seasonal workers program and Stephanie Kereme from the Imbonggu Youth Foundation is elated about this  successful facilitation.

Kereme said Dianna Philip ,25, from Iombi village in Imbonggu has received her contract and signed it on June 01, 2023.

Dianna Philip (l) Photo Stephanie Kereme 

Philip did years 10 and 12 but did not further her education in colleges. She now has this nine months employment contract with MADEC Australia.

Contract facilitator Kereme said Philip would be working at a Tomato farm in Victoria, Australia earning AU$26.73 per hour.

That is about K59.89 per hour in PNG currency. 

The minimum wage in PNG is less than K5 per hour.

Philip from the Wanep Tribe applied with the batch one group when data recruitment started in September 2022 and she is the second successful applicant assisted by the Imbonggu Youth Foundation.

Kereme who says she is using her own resources to facilitate the seasonal worker program is excited about this success by the Imbonggu Youth Foundation program.

"Slowly and surely Imbonggu is flying," she said.