Sandaun coin fund touching rural lives

More than 4,000 men, women, and children from the Vanimo-Green District are now members of the new Sandaun Coin Fund Business Association.

The Association helps rural communities that banks and other services cannot easily reach.

"Sandaun Coin Fund Business Association is a community-based organization dedicated to improving the livelihoods of members through financial support, training, business development, agriculture, fisheries, and income-generating activities,” Association deputy chairman James Nakmai said.

The Association’s goal is to empower individuals, families and communities to become financially independent and economically productive.

Poultry and fisheries farmers in rural LLGs have been supported with chicklets, fingerlings, feed, and rice seedlings, 7 rice mills have been purchased and are ready to be sent to farmers so they can mill their own rice after harvest.

The first rollout of the SME loans will be given to people in the Imbio Census area on Friday 28th August 2026. Loans start from K500 and go down and are repaid on a monthly schedule.

Mr Nakmai clarified that loans and agricultural support are given with an agreement. Members must repay loans on time, attend meetings and training sessions, maintain honesty and transparency, and Support community development initiatives

The Association is also partnering with the churches, the education and health sector and the local communities to achieve its goals.

Established in September last year and now setting up its provincial headquarters office at Transmitter in Vanimo Urban, the Sandaun Coin Fund has been conducting awareness and registering members across all local level government areas in the Vanimo-Green District.