Hamamas Meri = "Happy Woman" (Days for Girls)

The aims of this project are:

- To ensure the women and girls of the Admiralty Island group, including Manus Island, don’t have to miss days of school or work every month.  

-To provide pre-prepared, sustainable female health kits, prepared by the Turramurra Rotary team, for the local women to sew together and distribute to their local schools and villages. The sale of these kits locally gives the local women an ongoing source of funds and social standing in their communities for ongoing female health education.

The project pilot, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Turramurra and Wantaim PNG, started in June 2017. Initially, a team of Turramurra members, partners and friends prepared 300 kits, trained by a ‘Days for Girls’ Team Leader. The kits were then transported to PNG by the Australian Air Force.

In October 2017, a small team of volunteers trained the local women of Manus in female health education and the sewing together of the kits for distribution to local girls and young women via local village networks.

After the success of the pilot, monthly workshops, for cutting and sewing of fabric, have been regularly held in Turramurra. The team of volunteers maintains a supply of the pre-prepared kits to send up to the Manus Group for finishing and distributing.

Funding has been sourced from Turramurra Rotary Club fundraisers and grants.

The bonus of this project is the opportunity for local volunteers to work together in a convivial group environment knowing they are making a difference to the health and lives of disadvantaged women and girls in Papua New Guinea - particularly in the Manus Island group.

 (Photo: Wantaim PNG)

Turramurra's Hamamas Meri team celebrated on 20/5/2023 as a milestone was reached in the feminine health project. All our workshop materials were packed up and were collected by Wantaim PNG founder Lynne Shori.

The aim nearly 6 years ago was to assist the team in Manus to be able to drive the project themselves, up-skilling women in the Admiralty Islands. It was thrilling to hear that the team in Manus is now ready for the challenge. What a fantastic group of women (and men) and friends of Turramurra Rotary who have delivered a great range of skills and time to help this project get off the ground and progress. We now wish the women of Manus every success.

Celebrating the end of a successful international project.

Sincere thanks to: Turramurra Rotary Club; Manly Rotary Club; Wantaim PNG; Hamamas Meri Team; Days for Girls; Pymble Ladies College (for providing a local workshop venue); Australian Government (DFAT grant); Steamships Trading Company (grant)

Contact: Pam Pritchard,, Mobile phone: 0411 335 299 email:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.