January 23, 2016
A recent trip to Papua New Guinea has given Nanango resident Jenny Morgan a great idea about how she can help support women in Australia’s nearest neighbour … quite literally!
Jenny and her husband Rod visited Alotau, the capital of Milne Bay Province, and with the help of local residents visited some out-of-the-way villages where tourists rarely go.
Jenny couldn’t help but notice that many of the women, even though they were wearing western clothes, weren’t wearing bras.
She asked her female guide about this and was surprised to learn that the women had enormous trouble getting bras, and in particular, bras that fit.
“They can only get tiny Asian bras in the bigger centres, and in the outer islands they can’t get bras at all,” she said.
“When they can get them, bras are very expensive. They are considered a luxury.”
Jenny had a spark of an idea, but first she checked with two PNG women that she had become friends with if it would be appropriate.
“I didn’t want to be imposing western values on them,” she said. “But they said absolutely not. Bras are wanted and needed.”
Back in Australia, Jenny has begun an ongoing campaign to collect unwanted bras for the women of PNG.
A post on social media has led to women as far away as NSW and Dirranbandi contacting her and bras are already starting to arrive.
She is looking for used or unwanted bras in all sizes, but in particular in larger sizes.
“Your discards are their treasure,” she said.
Bras can be dropped off at Morgan’s Health Solutions in Nanango, Nanango Real Estate, Sasswear (in Kingaroy Shoppingworld), Nanango RSL Sub-Branch, Bunya Nut Cafe Blackbutt, Goomeri Information Centre and the Council offices in Nanango and Kingaroy.
“The local ladies in PNG are going to distribute them to anyone who wants them,” she said.
