Susan Kelly – Management and Administration Adviser at the Catholic Archdiocese of Rabaul in Papua New Guinea

Before taking up her assignment in February 2010, Susan was on VSA assignment in Bougainville for three years. Prior to that, Susan was living in Wanganui and working as a civilian administrator with the New Zealand Army.

What Susan is doing in PNG

Susan works with the Catholic Archdiocese of Rabaul in the education department. Her main role is to assist principals, bursars and treasurers of around 230 agency schools, in assessing the financial management systems of their schools.

She shares an office with two colleagues. Susan’s counterpart, Gervina, has helped her with all the local knowledge needed to make this large project understandable.

Making a positive impact

Susan has been training school bursars and treasurers on effective school financial management systems. She recently ran a pilot seminar for secondary schools and higher education institutes which was a huge success, with content geared to exactly what the head teachers and bursars needed.

Susan’s highlights so far

“I have really enjoyed being able to get out to many of the agency schools, some extremely isolated, and talk directly to the principals and teachers about their needs. It has been humbling to see how much they do with so few resources and such difficult working and living conditions by NZ standards.”

“It is a real highlight when we see a well run school which uses its limited resources wisely and creates a stable and motivated learning environment for its students”

What PNG has taught Susan

“Patience, tolerance, respect for other cultures.”

“I think I now realise how easy it is to simply take things for granted.”