WLI’s core leadership programs – The Women’s Developmental Leadership Program and LeadershipConnect – aim to equip Australia Awards scholars with the skills, networks and readiness required to address significant challenges in their countries and communities as confident leaders. We are proud to see WLI alumni working collectively across the Pacific region to make real development change in a wide range of sectors.
Through a series of new videos, we shine a spotlight on some incredible women who are leading the way, while working closely with others.
Making an impact
In an effort to bridge the digital divide in Papua New Guinea’s most remote communities, WLI alumna Luanne Isikel Borle launched a first-of-its-kind e-library in her home village, Lemeris in New Ireland Province. Named the Ben Isikel e-Library in honour of her late father, Ben Isikel, the library has been successfully providing high-quality education and learning resources to the local community since 2023.
“Every child, no matter where they live, should have access to quality education.”
One of Luanne’s key motivations in developing the library, which is based in Lemeris Primary School, was to give back to her community, reconnect with ‘home’, and put her leadership skills into practice. Luanne made good use of WLI’s Leadership Fund and everything she’d learned through the program, including the importance of working with others to achieve her leadership goals.
Through the initiative, Luanne delivered 20 laptops and trained more than 10 teachers on the basics of using the e-library.
A lasting legacy
The library continues to support young learners, teachers, and the wider community by increasing access to digital technology and resources. And according to Luanne, there has been a significant increase in students graduating Year 8 and starting Year 9.
“The whole community – the teachers and other people from the village – all actively contributed to make things happen.”
The Ben Isikel e-library has been replicated by WLI alumni in other remote locations in PNG. Discover how Dorothy Jolly and Joanne Siarivita-Noiney successfully rolled out a digital library system in PNG’s Goroka and New Ireland Provinces here.
Learn more about Luanne’s WLI journey and her participation in the Women’s Development Leadership Program by reading this article on the Ben Isikel e-library launch, and this case study written about Luanne as part of WLI’s alumni leadership series.